Demons at Hogwarts, Year Two
by pices-aquarius
Summary: Alex and Harry begin their 2nd year at Hogwarts with the Spirit Detectives. Alex and Harry are trying to juggle many things at once this year. Petrifications, Quidditch, homework, unexpected friendships and solving the secrets of the Chamber. FINISHED
1. A Secret Out and a Trip to Diagon Alley

Hey all, I've decided to try and work on the Year Two story as quickly as possible. I'm just so excited about the new movie coming out soon and so that should help in my writing these up as fast as possible. So I hope you all enjoy the next section of Demons at Hogwarts! Read on!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling owns all of that. I do NOT own Yu Yu Hakusho. Yoshihiro Togashi owns all of that. I DO own Alex and any other OC characters that appear throughout the stories. Thank you.

* * *

Alex flopped to the ground. "Alright, let's take a break!" She said. She was in the sheltered orchard near the Burrow, with Yusuke, Kurama, Kuwabara and Hiei. She had been training with them every evening since the start of the summer vacation. They had arrived at the Burrow only days earlier when she had received an owl from Ron saying that they had rescued Harry from his Aunt and Uncle. Yusuke and the others were staying at an Inn in the nearby village.

In her first year at Hogwart she and Harry had come face to face with Voldemort, although he was a shadow of his former self. At that time Alex's demon powers had awoken. She had learned that Koenma was not her biological brother, and that she and Harry had been together when Voldemort had killed their parents. Alex had also learned about the conflict that has been going on between demons and wizards, which she would learn more about in her second year. She had yet to tell her friends about her secret. Alex wasn't quite sure how she was going to break it to them. Dumbledore had also given her permission to tell the entire Weasley family. For the time being she had passed off her ever changing appearance to her being a Metamorphmagus.

Yusuke smirked. "Look at that guys, our little demoness is tired."

"Oh, shut up." She panted. Kurama smiled and tossed her an apple.

"Eat, you're just hungry. And Yusuke, lay off her. She's new to all this." Kurama defended her.

"Thanks, Kurama."

"So, what's it like staying with a family of wizards?" Kuwabara asked.

Alex sat up. "It's quite interesting. The Weasley's are a wonderful family. They make you feel at home." Alex looked around, making sure that no one was watching them. She slipped into her demon form. She had light brown fox ears and a light brown fox tail. "But something happened to me the other night."

"Oh, what?" Kurama asked.

"A house elf visited me. His name was Dobby, and he said that he didn't want me going back to Hogwarts. Something about it being very dangerous."

"Really? Whose house elf was he?"

"I dunno, couldn't really get anything out of him. And he disappeared as Ginny woke up."

"Very strange. We'll have to keep our eyes peeled this year." Yusuke said.

"Yea, and, apparently the same thing happened to Harry-"

"What happened to me?"

They all turned to see Harry, Ron and the Weasley twins coming through the orchard.

"Um, Alex, what's wrong with your ears?" Ron asked.

"Uh..." She couldn't get any words out.

"Maybe now's a good time to tell them."

"Tell us what?" Fred asked.

"Uh, let's go back to the Burrow. Everyone should hear what I have to say."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, all of the Weasley's along with Harry, Yusuke and the gang, were gathered in the little kitchen.

"So Alex, what is it that you have to tell us?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Well, Professor Dumbledore said I could trust you all with our secret." She took a deep breath. "I'm... a... demon." She braced herself for some yelling. But it never came. She looked around, all the faces didn't seem scared or shocked.

"Oh dear, we're so happy you finally told us!" Mrs. Weasley got up and hugged her.

"Professor Dumbledore sent us a letter at the start of summer telling us. Of course, we never told the kids." Mr. Weasley said.

Alex was dumbstruck.

"So you already knew?" Kurama asked, he and the others were about as shocked as Alex was.

"Oh yes, we just figured it was up to Alex to be brave enough to tell us."

Harry spoke up, "What's a demon?"

Alex giggled. "Why am I not surprised." She changed into her demon form. "I am a type of demon. There are thousands of different kinds in the demon realm. Some are good, some are bad. Lucky for you, we're the good guys."

"Hmph."

"Oh please shrimp, you're good too." Kuwabara said. Hiei glared at him.

"Koenma, my 'brother'. Is ruler of Spirit World. Where demons who pass away go." Alex explained. "The demon realm is where most demons live. Some manage to cross over to the human realm, where we are."

"Oh... so why did you have to keep it a secret?" Harry asked.

"Well, you see Harry, before You-Know-Who was around there was peace between the demon realm and the wizardary world. Then there were demons who sided with You-Know-Who during his time. And even after that, there were still demon supporters. But you'll be learning all about that in you History of Magic class this year." Mr. Weasley said.

"I think it's cool. We know demons!" Ron said excitedly.

"What kind of demon are you?" Percy asked.

"Ah, I'm a fire-fox shapeshifter. Thank you for asking." Alex replied.

"Hey Alex can we touch-"

"-your ears?" The twins asked. Alex laughed.

"Yea, I guess."

"They're _sooo_ soft." Fred said, as they rubbed her ears as if they were good luck charms. Everyone laughed.

* * *

The next morning Alex came down the stairs fully dressed in dark blue flare jeans and a light yellow tee shirt, humming cheerfully, her hair was a rather vibrant shade of red and her eyes were bright blue. Her tail and ears clashed beautifully with her hair color. Alex looked just like a Weasley.

"Good morning Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley. Morning Kurama, Hiei." She said happily as she sat down and grabbed some toast. The other boys were still asleep.

"Oh, for a moment I thought you were one of my own children." Mrs. Weasley said, laughing.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Weasley. If you'd like I can change-"

"Oh, it's fine. You just gave me a bit of a start." She replied, waving it off.

"Morning Alex." Kurama said, eating some porridge. "You seem happy today."

"I just feel much better, now that I'm not hiding anything." She took a bite of her toast.

"Well, I'm glad Alex." Mrs. Weasley said, she was washing dishes. Harry, Ron and the twins trudged downstairs.

"Morning guys." Alex said.

They just gave little grunts. Ginny also appeared from the stairwell, she noticed Harry and sat as far away as possible from him. She was very shy around him and Alex figured she had a little crush on him. Harry and Ron took seats near Kurama, and the twins sat on either side of Alex, who had now busied herself with explaining the functions of airplanes to Mr. Weasley, who had a fascination with anything to do with Muggles. George looked over at Alex and said, "Did you suddenly feel like becoming a part of the family?"

Alex turned to glare at him and at the same time her hair shortened and became a deep blue. "That better?"

George glared back and was about to give a smart remark when the mail came.

"Here are your school letters." Mr. Weasley said handing them out to them all.

There was silence as they all read their letters. Alex's told her to catch the Hogwarts Express as usual from King's cross station on the first of September. There was also a list of new books she'd need for the new year.

**Second Year Students will require:**

_The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2_ by Miranda Goshawk  
_Break with a Banshee _by Gilderoy Lockhart_  
Gadding with Ghouls _by Gilderoy Lockhart  
_Holidays with Hags _by Gilderoy Lockhart  
_Travels with Trolls _by Gilderoy Lockhart  
_Voyages with Vampires _by Gilderoy Lockhart  
_Wandering with Werewolves _by Gilderoy Lockhart  
_Year with the Yeti _by Gilderoy Lockhart

Fred peered over at Alex's list. "You've been told to get all of Lockhart's books too!" he said. "The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher must be a huge fan- bet it's a witch."

"Oh joy, just what I need. A Lockhart fanatic." Alex said, setting her letter down.

"This lot won't come cheap." George said, glancing at his parents. "Lockhart books are rather expensive..."

"We'll manage." Mrs. Weasley said, but she looked a little worried. "I think we can get a lot of Ginny's things secondhand."

Harry turned to Ginny. "Are you starting at Hogwarts this year?"

Ginny blushed madly and nodded. Just then Ron's older brother Percy walked in fully dressed with his prefect badge pinned to his chest.

"Morning everyone." Percy said, sitting down in the last available chair but then jumped up again and pulled from underneath him a moulting, gray ball of feathers.

"Errol!" Ron said, taking the old owl from Percy and taking a letter off it's leg. "_Finally_, he's got Hermione's letter. I wrote to her to tell her we were going to try and rescue Harry from the Dursley's." Errol got up and flapped over to the perch. Ron opened Hermione's letter and read it aloud:

_" 'Dear Ron,  
" 'I hope everything went alright and that none of you are hurt and that you didn't do anything illegal to get him out of there. I'm very busy with school work, and we're going to London next Wednesday to buy my new books. Why don't we all meet in Diagon Alley? Let me know what's going on as soon as you can.  
" 'Love from Hermione.'"_

"Well, that'll work nicely. We can go and get all your things then." Mrs. Weasley said as she began to clear the table. "What are you all up to today?"

Harry, Ron, Fred and George were planning on watching Alex train with Yusuke and the others.

After everyone was cleaned and dressed, Harry, Ron and the twins made their way to the orchard where they found Alex, Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei and Kuwabara already there and in their training clothes. Alex's hair color had changed again, it was now black with stripes of blue running through it. She had pulled it up into a ponytail. She was beating at a tree with a sword.

"Is that thing real?" Harry asked when they reached the group. Alex turned and smiled.

"It's very real." She tossed it and caught it by the blade, the handle pointing towards Harry. "Care to try?"

Harry was rather reluctant but gripped the hilt and Alex let go, the sword dropped to the ground. "It's... heavier than it looks." He grunted.

Alex took the sword back from him, laughing. "Yea, it's a training sword. It's suppose to be really heavy. That's how I get stronger."

Hiei stepped forward. "Are we going to sit here and chat like old women or are we going to train?" He asked.

"Sorry." Alex looked at him sheepishly. "Why don't you all sit by the trees there?" Alex pointed to a group of trees away from the dirt circle Yusuke had made earlier that morning. They went over and sat in the grass, they could still hear what was being said. "Alright, how are we doing this?" Alex asked Kurama.

"One on one." Kurama replied. "How about you start with Yusuke?"

Alex flipped her sword and sheathed it. "Gladly."

"Oh please. You couldn't beat me last time, what makes you so confident now?"

"I've been practicing." They stepped into the dirt ring and began to fight.

Harry, Ron and the twins watched as Alex took on Yusuke, Kuwabara and Kurama. They noticed that Alex was fast, cunning and skilled with her powers. Soon enough, she was facing Hiei. Alex pulled out her sword and so did Hiei. Hiei was a Slytherin at Hogwarts, and a friend of Draco Malfoy, Harry and Alex's 'enemy'. But Alex had long forgiven Hiei for siding with him, as she could tell that her well being would always come before his so called friendship with Malfoy.

Alex and Hiei had been going at it for almost an hour when Alex called out, "Wait!"

Hiei stopped mid-swing. "What?" He asked angerly. She was looking at the ground frantically her free hand at her neck. Then she bent over and picked something up.

"I thought it was lost!" The boys had gotten up from their spots in the grass and came over.

"What's going on?" Fred asked.

"I almost lost my necklace. I think Hiei took it off in that last swing." Alex said holding up the locket she had recieved from a secret admirer last Christmas. It was in the shape of a Quaffle, for Alex was one of the best Chasers on the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

"I can't believe you still wear that!" George said. "Have you even figured out who it's from?"

"No. But who ever gave it to me, must have wanted me to wear it. Kind of like my ring from my mother." She showed them the silver band with the dragon engraved in it on her right index finger. "Then they know that I'm thinking about who it could have been from." After that they all sat around chatting and eating apples. The subject came around to school stuff.

"Dunno how Mum and Dad are gonna afford all our stuff this year," Fred said. "Five sets of Lockhart books, and Ginny's going to need robes and a wand and everything..."

Harry and Alex said nothing. They felt a bit awkward. For both of them each had a small fortune in an underground vault at Gringotts in London. For the other boys Koenma was paying for everything.

* * *

The following Wednesday they were up early. After a quick breakfast, they put on their coats and Mrs. Weasley grabbed a flowerpot from the top of the mantlepiece.

"Alright, Harry, you first dear." Mrs. Weasley said, offering him the flowerpot.

"I forgot, they've never traveled by Floo Powder. Sorry everyone!" Ron suddenly said.

"Never? But how did you get to Diagon Alley lasy year?"

"We took the Underground." Harry replied.

"Really?" Mr. Weasley said excitedly. "Were there _escapators?_ How do they-"

"Not now Arthur!. Well, don't worry dears, just watch Fred and George first."

Fred stepped up took a pinch of green glittering powder and stepped into the fire place. He shouted, "Diagon Alley!" and threw the powder his feet and in a flurry of green flames he disappeared.

"You must remember to speak clearly, otherwise you might end up somewhere entirely different than where you wanted to go." Mrs. Weasley said as George disappeared in the fireplace. "Alright Alex, why don't you go next?"

"Okay." She took a pinch from the flowerpot and stepped into the fireplace.

"Remember to speak clearly, don't fidget and wait until you see Fred and George to step out of the grate." Mrs. Weasley advised. "And just relax, dear, you'll do fine."

Alex took a deep breath and shouted, "Diagon Alley!" and disappeared in a whirl of green flames.

It felt like she was being sucked down a giant drain, she could feel herself spinning around very fast, and there was a deafening roar in her ears. Alex didn't open her eyes, but all of a sudden she felt herself thrown out of the fireplace. She rolled and tumbled into someone. Alex shook her head and looked over; right into Fred Weasley's face. "Oh! I'm so sorry Fred!" She said. He stood up and then helped her could feel the blood rush to her face. George was laughing.

"It's alright. I, uh, shouldn't have been standing right there. I wasn't sure if it was you or Harry coming out of there, I wasn't really expecting a flying witch." He said. "Let's move out of the way."

Soon enough the other had come safely from the fireplace, Alex looked around. "Where's Harry?"

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley suddenly went pale. "He was right behind you!" They frantically looked around, they had all landed in the Leaky Cauldron, but Harry was not to be found.

"Come on, let's split up and look for him, maybe he didn't get too far. We'll meet at Gringotts in fifteen minutes." Mrs. Weasley led Ginny away along with Percy and Mr. Weasley.

The others walked out and made their way up towards Gringotts searching inside each shop. When they reached the marble white steps they still hadn't found him, but they did run into Hermione.

"Hello!" She said brightly, her brown hair flowed behind her as she came down the steps. "Is something wrong?" She asked looking at their downtrodden, soot covered faces.

"Harry's gone missing." Kuwabara said.

"Really? Isn't that him right there with Hagrid?" She said looking behind them all. They turned and sure enough there was Harry looking rather small compared to Hagrid.

"Harry! Hagrid! Over here!" Alex called. When he reached them she hugged him. "We were so worried Harry!"

"Harry what happened to your glasses?" Hermione said pulling out her wand and mending them with a spell.

"Thanks Hermione." He said taking them off and examining them, then he put them back on. "Thanks Hagrid, I think I'm alright now."

"Alright, now don't you go wanderin' off." Hagrid said and waved goodbye to the others. Just as Hagrid disappeared around a corner Mr. and Mrs. Weasley appeared looking relieved when they saw Harry.

"Thank goodness, Harry!" Mrs. Weasley said as she hugged him.

"We hoped you had only gone one grate too far." Mr. Weasley said. "Where did you end up?"

"In Knockturn Alley." Harry said as Mrs. Weasley let go of him.

"Well, you're just lucky Hagrid found you. That's a dangerous place." Alex put in. They all looked at her. "What? I've only been there to find out more about demons." She said.

"Come on, let's get inside. We've got lots to do." Mrs. Weasley ushered them inside before Alex could be bombarded with questions from the twins.

Inside they were able to meet Hermione's parents. Mr. Weasley was very excited to meet them, for they were Muggles.

"We'll meet you back here." Ron said to Hermione, when they were being lead away by the Gringotts goblins down to their vaults.

The way to the vaults were by train carts controlled by the goblins. The first stop was the Weasley vault. Alex's heart gave a horrible lurch when their vault door opened and there was just a small pile of sickles and one galleon. Mrs. Weasley quickly swept up the pile and they were off to Harry's vault. Alex looked over at him, and he looked like he was feeling bad about his small fortune just like she was. They arrived at his vault and he did his best to hide the piles of gold that filled the room as he swept up a bagful of gold. As soon as he was in the cart they took off for Alex's vault. She too, tried to hide the piles of gold that her mother had left for her. She filled a small bag of gold and left as quickly as possible.

Back outside on the steps they all separated. Mr. Weasley was taking Hermione's parents to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink, Mrs. Weasley was taking Ginny to get her robes and wand. Fred and George found their friend Lee Jordan and took off with him. Percy went off on his own and that left the others for their own accord. "We'll meet at Flourish and Blotts in an hour to get your books." Mrs. Weasley told them.

They all decided to get their school things first before having a little fun. Harry told them all, as they made their way to Flourish and Blotts, that he had seen Draco Malfoy and Mr. Malfoy in one of the shops in Knockturn Alley. "Really?" Alex said. "Hiei, you could go hang out with your Slytherin friend." She teased. Hiei growled.

"That's not funny, Rowen."

"He even sounds like-" She trailed off as she looked at a sign outside the bookstore.

Ron read it aloud: "Gilderoy Lockhart will be signing copies of his new auto-biography Magical Me today..."

"Oh no..." Kuwabara trailed off. They walked inside where a large group of witches were clamoring to the back of the store, where Gilderot Lockhart would be appearing. They all squeezed inside and each grabbed a copy of _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2_ and made there way towards the front of the line where the rest of the Weasleys were along with Mr. and Mrs. Granger.

"I'm so excited, we finally get to meet him." Hermione said.

Alex scoffed. Hermione shot her a look, just as Gilderoy Lockhart stepped out from behind a curtain.

"There he is!" Mrs. Weasley said excitedly.

Alex exchanged uncertain glances with Harry. A photographer with the Daily Prophet made his way through the crowd and began snapping pictures, Lockhart posed like it was a natural thing for him to do, giving a shining smile. It made Alex want to barf. He looked over in the groups direction and spotted Harry and Alex's scars.

"It can't be..." He gasped. "Harry Potter and Alexandria Rowen. Here in Flourish and Blotts." The Prophet photographer turned and spotted them as well and grabbed their robes, dragging them up to stand with Lockhart. He grabbed their shoulders. "Nice, big smile you two. With the three of us, we'll make the front page of the Prophet." He smiled into the crowd and said to them, "When these two walked into Flourish and Blotts to purchase my new autobiography, _Magical Me_, little did they know that they would each be walking away with my entire collection. Free of charge!" He said and two shop assitants walked up, each with a large stack of books and shoved them into their arms. They walked away from the Lockhart as quickly as possible, back to the Weasley's. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley took the books from them so they could be signed and they left to the entrance of the store.

"Wow... that was just awful." Alex said, sinking against a stack of books right outside of the store. Just then Draco Malfoy appeared.

"Bet you loved that, Potter, Rowen." The pale, thin, blond Slytherin boy said, coming up to them all.

Ginny Weasley spoke up, "Leave him alone!"

"Look Potter, you've got yourself a girlfriend!" Malfoy chided. He spotted Hiei standing near Alex. "What are you doing here?"

Hiei smirked. "Alex is a friend."

Malfoy almost went paler. "Really?" He tried to keep his cool. "I didn't know that."

Alex smiled. "Is there a problem with that Malfoy?"

"I- well-"

"Draco, I hope your not causing any trouble?" It was Mr. Malfoy. He was as pale and as blond as his son.

"Hello Lucius." Mr. Weasley had appeared behind the group, Alex and Harry's books cradled under each arm.

"Arthur. Busy time at the Ministry, I hear. " Mr. Malfoy said. "All those raids... I hope they're paying you overtime?" He reached into Ginny's cauldron and grabbed a tattered book. "Obviously not. My, my, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"

Mr. Weasley kept his cool. "We have a very different idea of what disgraces the wizard, Malfoy."

Alex looked at Draco, whose eyes were glued to her. She sneered at him. He smirked, like it meant nothing to him.

"See you at work Arthur." Mr. Malfoy dropped the book back in Ginny's cauldron and walked out the door.

Malfoy gave them all one last glance, his eyes lingered on Alex, and then left to catch up with his father. Alex looked at Hiei, "What was that all about?" He just shrugged.

They all made their way back to the Leaky Cauldron, said their goodbyes to the Grangers, and took the trip back to the Burrow by Floo powder once again.

* * *

There you have it folks. The first chapter of Year 2. I hope you all enjoyed. Please review! ~Pices


	2. Train Rides and Gilderoy Lockhart

Alright everyone! Here is chapter two of Demons at Hogwarts!!!! Please enjoy!

* * *

On September 1st the Weasleys, Harry, Yusuke, Kurama, Alex and Kuwabara made their way to Platform 9 and 3/4. Hiei had been invited to stay with Draco Malfoy and his family. Alex had encouraged Hiei to go. She enjoyed having someone on the 'inside' as she called it.

It was ten to eleven when they reached the gateway to the Hogwarts Express. Fred and George went first followed by Alex, Kurama, Yusuke and Kuwabara. Ginny went followed by her parents and Harry and Ron came behind them but never reappeared on the other side. Unfortunatly for them no one noticed in the hurry to get seats on the train.

Later, when the group- minus Fred, George and Ginny- had settled in an empty compartment, did they notice that Harry and Ron were not with them.

"Guys, where's Harry and Ron?" Kuwabara asked.

Alex looked out the car in the walkway but didn't see them. "I dunno." She said when pulled her head back in. "I thought they were right behind us."

"Should we go look for them?" Hermione asked.

"Yea. Kurama, Hermione, go talk with the Ravenclaws. Kazuma, Yusuke go talk with the Hufflepuffs. I'll go and find Hiei." Alex said, they all went their separate ways. On her way to the Slytherins car she ran into Fred, George and Lee Jordan. "Hello, Lee, did you have a good summer?" She asked, since she didn't have a chance to talk to him in Diagon Alley.

"It was pretty normal. How about you?" He replied.

"I'm surprised the twins didn't tell you." She said looking at them coyly. They both blushed. "I spent most of my summer practicing Quidditch." She said, telling a little lie.

"Good, we Gryffindors need to win the Cup this year."

She nodded her head, then remembered why she was wandering the compartments. "Have you all seen Harry or Ron? They weren't in our compartment with us."

"Nope sorry." George replied.

The other two shook their heads.

"Alright, thanks. I better keep going." And she continued towards the Slytherins compartment. When she arrived she could see Blaise Zabini, Crabbe, Goyle, Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson all laughing at something. Hiei was sulking near the window. She took a deep breath and opened the door. They looked over at her.

"Well, look what we have here, a Gryffindor wandered into our midst." Zabini said, jokingly.

"Back off Zabini." Malfoy said. Alex was surprised.

"Defending me Malfoy? I'm surprised." Alex said. Hiei smiled at her.

_You'd be surprised as to why._ Hiei said to her telepathically.

_What do you know?_ She asked eagerly.

_I'm afraid I can't tell you. _He teased.

_Well, you're no fun._ She pouted.

"So what are you doing here, Rowen?" Malfoy asked, trying to change the subject.

"Looking for Harry and Ron. They weren't behind us when we got on the train. I'm a little worried."

"Well, they're obviously not here." Pansy said, annoyed that Alex was currently recieving Malfoy's attention.

"Duh, I knew _that_." Alex retorted, which made Pansy give her a dirty look. "I'm here for Hiei. I want his help."

Hiei was about to stand up, happy to be away from his fellow Slytherins when Malfoy said, "I'll help you." Everyone stared at him.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Hiei protested. There, Alex saw that Hiei knew something and he didn't want Alex to know what it was.

"I agree-" Pansy tried to say but Alex cut her off.

"Why don't you both come?" She said. She was tired of there being tension between Gryffindors and Slytherins. She was going to do her best to play nice with them, and the best way to do that was to be nice to the head honcho of Slytherins.

"Fine." Hiei said reluctantly. So the three of them left the compartment along the way back to Alex's car they asked Gryffindors and Slytherins alike if they had seen Harry and Ron. No one had. They reached the compartment, exhausted and slumped into the seats, waiting for the others to return.

"So, Malfoy, what do you get out of helping me?" Alex asked. He turned to look at her.

"Nothing. Why? Can't I do something nice for a change?"

She looked at him skepitically. "Not unless their part of your own house. And the last time I checked, I wasn't a Slytherin." She retorted.

He shook his head and smiled at her. "That maybe true, unfortunatly, Hiei is a friend of yours, and he his a friend of mine, which means I have to help you."

She blushed at his smile, but managed a comeback, "I didn't know you had friends, Malfoy."

"Watch your tongue Rowen." He stood up. "Well, I best be going. I don't need to be confronted by your friends." And he left to back to his compartment.

Alex sighed. Just then the others came back in and sat down. Since Harry nor Ron was with them, she figured that they hadn't found them.

"Where's Kazuma?" She asked noticing he wasn't there.

"With his Hufflepuff friends." Kurama said. Alex looked out the window. She could see the school as they rounded the bend.

"We're almost there, we should change into our robes." She said, glad that they hadn't mentioned Malfoy.

* * *

Alex always enjoyed the start of the year feast. It included the Sorting. All the first years were sorted into the house that the sorting hat believed they belonged in. At the feast, Ginny Weasley was sorted into Gryffindor house. They had all cheered. As the Feast wore on, talk began to spread of a flying car spotted by Muggles, and that it had flown straight into the Whomping Willow on the Hogwarts grounds, and that the people flying it were Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Alex looked across the table at Hermione, whose face began to show signs of worry. "Don't fret Hermione. I just hope the right teacher reached them first." She said looking up at the teachers table where Snape, McGonagall and Dumbledore had all disappeared.

Hermione led the way up the stairs to the Fat Lady's portrait, who guarded the entrance to the common room. By her portrait, there was Harry and Ron waiting for someone with the password. "Thank goodness you're alright!" Alex said hugging them both. "Everyone's talking about you being expelled. I can't believe you flew that car without me!"

"Figures that's what you'd say." Ron said yawning.

"But we're not expelled. Just detention." Harry reassured them of that.

"So what's the password? We're exhausted." Ron asked.

"It's 'wattlebird' but-" Hermione was cut off as the portrait swung open and cheers from their fellow Gryffindors drowned her out. They all stepped inside, everyone was congratulating Harry and Ron.

"It's brilliant!" Lee Jordan said. "People'll be talking about this for years!"

"Right into the Whomping Willow! It's incredible."

Harry and Ron were both blushing madly as they tried to make their way to the boys' dormitory. "Alright, that's enough!" Alex cried out. The room went silent. "You all can talk to them in the morning. Can't you tell they're tired?" She said, the blood rushing to her cheeks from the attention.

"Thanks Alex." Harry muttered. He and Ron crept through the packed room and disappeared up the staircase to their dormitory.

"Gee Alex, great way to ruin the night." George said, jokingly.

"Oh, shove off." She said and made her way to the girls dormitory, Hermione right behind her.

* * *

The next morning was fairly interesting for Alex. Everyone but the Slytherins greeted Harry and Ron like they were heroes, the Slytherins just taunted them. Alex sat inbetween Hermione and Ron and as she reached for some bacon the mail came.

Geneviève, Alex's rather small, fluffball of an owl, flew down and landed next to her plate with a letter from Botan attached to her leg. She was about to open it when Ron gasped next to her. Errol was there, covered in milk, holding out a scarlet red envelope.

"What is it Ron?" Harry asked.

"Mum sent me a- a Howler." Ron whispered, looking as if he was ready to run away from the thing.

"You should open it," Neville said from the other side of the table. "Gran sent me one once. It was awful."

Ron's hands shook as he reached for the letter and took if from Errol. Carefully he tore the seal off, and suddenly Mrs. Weasley's screaming could be heard from the far reaches of the Hall.

"HOW DARE YOU! STEALING THE CAR! YOU COULD HAVE DIED! WE ARE ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED, YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK AND IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT! IF YOU PLACE ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME!"

There was silence throughout the Hall. The red envelope tore itself up and the little pieces floated to the table. Ron sat stunned, all he could utter were little unintelligable noises. As talking began to resume around the Hall, Alex heard snickering, and looked over at the Slytherin table. They were ready to burst out laughing. She glared at them, and Malfoy looked up and caught her gaze and shut up instantly. She blinked, surprised that her looks could stop Malfoy in his tracks. His behavior was becoming more and more bizarre to her.

Alex looked at Ron who was still stunned by the Howler. "Buck up Ron, at least it's over with." She said as Professor McGonagall came by with their schedules. Their first class was double Herbology with Hufflepuff. Alex smiled. "At least our first class is with Kazuma."

They all met up with Kuwabara and made their way to the greenhouses. When they got to Greenhouse 1, the rest of their houses were already there standing in front of Professor Sprout.

"Everyone we're in Greenhouse Three today!" She called over the chatter of the students. They instantly became excited, for they had never been allowed to work in Greenhouse three.

The students stepped inside after Professor Sprout. "Everyone take a place around the table there."

Alex stood between Kurama and Ron. Hermione was next to Kurama. Harry, Yusuke and Kuwabara stood across from them. In front of them were two different planting pots, one empty and one with a plant in it. There were also a pair of earmuffs for each of them. Professor Sprout stood at the head of the table her earmuffs already on. "Today we will be repotting Mandrakes. Can anyone tell me what a Mandrake is?" Professor Sprout asked.

To no surprise, Hermione and Kurama were the first people to raise their hands. Alex would have as well, but she didn't know Herbology as well as they did. "Yes, Suichi?"

"Madrakes, or _Mandragora_ is a powerful restorative that restores people who have been cursed to their original state. The cry of the Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hear's it's cry." Suichi said.

"Very good, ten points to Gryffindor." Professor Sprout said. "Right now, our Mandrakes are still young enough that their cry won't kill you, but it will knock you out for a few hours. That's what your earmuffs are for. So put them on and make sure they're on tight."

They all grabbed their earmuffs and put them on. The sounds around Alex dulled. Professor Sprout's voice was muffled. "Alright, everyone have their earmuffs on? Excellent. To repot your Mandrake, just grip the foliage, and pull hard," She pulled on her Mandrake and out popped what looked like a dirty, shrieking, fat, wrinkled baby. Proffesor Sprout yelled over the shrieking, "Place the Mandrake into the new pot, and spread dirt all around it until it's covered up to the foliage. You may begin!"

At the end of class they were dirty and tired. They made their way back to the castle to wash up, then the Gryffindors made their way to Transfiguration.

Alex was always excited for Transfiguration, considering that she herself could transform into different things, it made it easier for her to transfigure other things. Today they were turning beetles into buttons. By the end of class Alex had a pile of multicolored buttons. She recieved ten points for Gryffindor. Hermione had a hand full of buttons and so did Kurama. Ron had been having problems with his wand, which was now wrapped in Spellotape, but it seemed to be dameged beyond repair.

At the end of class they went down to the Great Hall for lunch.

They sat at a table and were joined by Kuwabara.

"So what have we got this afternoon?" Alex asked Hermione.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Wonderful. We finally get to meet the crazt teacher who just _loves _Lockhart."

"Don't be too quick to judge." Alex turned to see that it was George Weasley who spoke. "We just got back from Defense Against the Dark Arts class."

"And?" Kuwabara asked, who hadn't yet been to his class yet.

"You'll be surprised." Fred said.

"Come on, guys, just tell us, please." Alex said.

"Alright, but only because you asked nicely." George said. "It's Gilderoy Lockhart himself."

They all sat there in stunned silence. Hermione's face grew into a smile. "_Really?_ It's really Gilderoy Lockhart?" She practically squeled with delight.

"Ugh." Alex made a face. "That's not what I wanted to hear. Thanks for telling us."

"No problem. You should always be prepared." They left.

"I'm surprised with you Alex." Kuwabara said. She looked at him.

"Why?"

"You're not falling head over heels for Lockhart, like every other witch here." He replied.

"That's because I've read all his books, and I don't think he's done a single one of those things."

"You think it's all made up?" Hermione said, shocked. "I don't believe it."

"Believe what you want to. And I choose not to believe it."

Hermione opened up _Voyages with Vampires_ and buried her nose in it, ignoring everyone else.

Alex sighed and shook her head. Just then a small mousy haired boy walked up to their table and snapped a picture of Harry and Alex, who were sitting next to each other. "Hi there! I'm Colin Creevey. I'm a Gryffindor too." He said breathlessly. "I know who you are." His eyes wandered to each of their scars. "I'm so excited to be in the same house as both of you. I'm such a big fan."

Alex and Harry looked at each other. Alex looked back at Colin. "It's very nice to meet you Colin. We, uh, honored that your such a big fan. But we were kind of hoping for a relaxing lunch, you know, and not really talk about us." She said.

"Oh, sure, of course. We can always talk later. Well see ya!" He said brightly and took off for where his fellow first years were sitting.

"He took that rather well." Yusuke said, trying to hold in a laugh.

The bell rang, signaling afternoon classes. They all- minus Kuwabara- made their way to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. They took their seats, the girls sitting towards the front and the boys, plus Alex sitting towards the back, and surveyed the room. Alex was sitting next to Yusuke who made a sound of disgust. At the front near the desk was a large moving portrait of Lockhart himself. The stairs leading up to Lockhart's office were lined with smaller moving pictures of Lockhart. Alex sighed. "It's going to be a long year."

Just then the office door opened and there stood Gilderoy Lockhart himself, smiling brightly and in gold colored robes. "Let me introduce your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher... me- Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award. But I don't talk about that; I didn't get rid of the Banden Banshee by smiling at him." He laughed, showing off his oddly white teeth. All the girls sighed deeply- all, except Alex. "I am here to teach you how to defend yourselves against the dark elements." He said, putting on a serious face. He tapped his wand against a covered cage. It rattled, startling all the girls in the front. "In here is a most fearsome creature." He took off the cover and inside were little blue pixies, which were growling and laughing viciously. In the back Dean Thomas snorted to cover a laugh, like everyone else in the back of the room.

"Is there something you'd like to say Mr. Thomas?" Lockhart asked, oblivious to the masked laughter.

"What are they exactly?"

"Cornish Pixies. Feisty little things."

"Are- Are they dangerous?" He asked, still trying not to laugh.

"Well, why don't you find out!" And with that, Lockhart opened the cage door releasing twenty Cornish Pixies upon the class. Everyone got up screaming and shouting trying to cover themselves with their bags as the pixies flew about, throwing things across the room and grabbing some of the girls' loose hair. "Come now, it's not that bad. _Peskie Pixitronomus-_" Lockhart tried to cast a spell but it didn't work. By now most of the class had disappeared out into the hall. Lockhart ran towards the stairs to his office and at the door looked down to see who was left then said, "I'll just leave it to you to catch them, shall I?" And disappeared into his office.

Ron, Yusuke and Harry were batting at the pixies with copies of Lockhart's books. Alex, Kurama and Hermione all pulled out their wands and shouted, "_Immobulus!_" The pixies froze right where they were.

"Brilliant." Ron muttered.

* * *

"Lockhart's off his rocker." Alex said later that night, while everyone was at dinner. She was with Kurama, Hiei, Yusuke and Kuwabara in a clearing on the grounds Dumbledore had enchanted for them to use as their training grounds. Nobody could see them if they were there in broad daylight.

"You're telling me." Kuwabara replied. "He had everyone in the class take a quiz all about him."

"That's better than releasing a bunch of Conrnish Pixies on the class without telling them how to stop them." Alex said taking a bite of a piece of orange that she had taken from the dinner table. "The man has no clue to what he's doing!" She shook her head, then looked at Hiei. "So how'd you get away from Malfoy?"

Hiei glared at her. "I had to pretend to be sick." He made a sound of disgust. "I cannot believe I've sunk so low."

"Aw, poor Hiei." She cooed teasingly.

"I've been meaning to ask you Hiei," Kurama stopped the demon from attacking Alex. "What's been going on with Draco as of late? He's had a strange obssesion with Alex."

"How so, Kurama?" Yusuke asked.

"Take the train ride, for example. He helped Alex in her search for Harry and Ron-"

"So you noticed." Alex mumbled.

"I couldn't say." Hiei said. "He shrugs it off everytime I ask. Gets a little annoyed, is more like it."

"So you lied on the train Hiei?" Alex said. Hiei smirked.

"Interesting." Kurama said, delving into his thoughts. Alex had a sudden revelation.

"You don't think he knows about me, do you?"

"Impossible." Kurama said.

"How so?" Kuwabara asked.

"There are a limited amount of people that know about us. Besides, if he did know, he most likely would have told his father, who would have told the Minister of Magic. And then-"

"The entire Ministry would be after us. Of course."

"Maybe he's just got a crush on Alex." Kuwabara joked.

"Uh, ew." Alex stated blatently. Then she yawned. "Dinner must be over by now, and we haven't done any training. Let's just go back up to the castle. I have a ton of homework that needs to be done." They all trudged back up to the castle.

* * *

I aplogize for the shortness. I just wanted to get this chapter up and going. So what do you all think about Malfoy? Does he really know about Alex and the other? Or is it just a crush? Tell me your ideas! Thanks for reading and please review!!! ~Pices


	3. Quidditch and Slugs

Hey all. Here's chapter 3. I'm really liking the direction this is going. I can't wait to see where my fingers will take it. ^.^ 'Cause, I have no idea yet. Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or Harry Potter. I do own Alex. I wish I own a few of the others though, ~.^.

* * *

Alex spent a lot of time over the next few days hiding away from Lockhart and Colin Creevey. She spent most of her time in the library, the safest place she knew. Of course, she couldn't seem to get away from Malfoy as easily. It was like he could read her mind, which was an idea that had crossed her brain a couple of times. He seemed to be in the same vicinity as her where ever she went. Alex was welcoming the weekend with open arms. The group was planning on visiting Hagrid Saturday morning. Unfortunately, Alex was woken up much earlier than she would have liked, by Angelina Johnson, a fellow Gryffindor and fellow Chaser.

"Quidditch practice. Be down on the field in fifteen." She said sleepily. Alex nodded, and sat up in her bed. Once Angelina was sure Alex wouldn't go back to sleep, she disappeared down the stairs. Cold and yawning, Alex scrabbled around for her Quidditch robes. When she had dressed in them, she grabbed her broom and descended the stairs. In the common room she found Harry waiting for her.

"Angelina told me to wait for you." He said with a yawn, which caused her to yawn as well. "I think Wood has gone a little loopy this year." He said as they walked across the wet lawn to the Quidditch pitch. The cool morning air seemed to jolt Alex awake. She had been itching to get back out and into the open air.

"He just wants us to win." Alex replied. "We don't need a repeat of last year." They both had been in the Hospital Wing, unable to play in the final match. "And I don't blame him, he's only got one more year after this."

Harry nodded in agreement. "Well, let's try not to get hurt before the final match, all right?" Alex smiled.

"Promise." She said as they entered the locker room. Everyone else was already there. Fred and George, who were tousle-haired, were nodding off in the corner and Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell were resting their heads on the wall behind them. Alex went over to the twins and sat in between them, jolting them awake. Harry went and sat next to Katie.

"Excellent, we're all here now." Wood said brightly, he seemed to be the only one who was truly awake. "Now I wanted to talk to you all before we get onto the Quidditch field. I've spent the summer devising a whole new training program, which I have displayed here on the board..." Alex began to drift off, as Wood began to drone on and on about the training. Her head dropped onto George's shoulder, who didn't seem to mind as his head dropped onto hers. Alex was still awake, as was Harry, but everyone else seemed to have fallen asleep. There wasn't just one board; there were three, all of which seemed to take a full hour to explain.

"So," Wood finally said. Alex stayed where she was, though she had been brought to full alert. "Are there any questions?"

"I've got a question, Oliver." George spoke up picking his head up. Alex found herself being a little disappointed. "Why couldn't you have told us this all yesterday, when we were awake?"

Wood was not happy.

"Now listen here. We should have won last year. But due to circumstances beyond our control-" Oliver trailed off and Alex shifted in her seat, bringing her head up off George's shoulder, who looked at her, and she saw the same slight disappointment in his eyes. She dropped her eyes to look at her hands in her lap. "So this year, we train harder than ever. Right, let's get out there and begin our new regime." Wood shouted and lead the way out of the locker room. Alex stood quickly, red faced, to walk with Harry out onto the field. As they walked out onto the field, Alex saw Ron, Kurama, Yusuke and Hermione sitting in the stands.

"Aren't you done yet?" Ron called down to them.

"Haven't even started yet." Harry replied. Alex smiled up at them.

_You look like you've been running. Are you okay? _Kurama asked her telepathically.

_Fine, just... well, it's nothing really._ She returned, her face turning an even deeper shade of red. Alex mounted her broom and kicked off from the ground. This was her element, she loved soaring through the air, the wind wiping away all her worries. She looked below her and spotted specks of dark green on the ground.

"Oliver!" She called over to her Captain who was over scolding the twins for racing, he looked her way and she pointed down. He looked and became furious, her suspicions confirmed; they were Slytherins. The others looked down as well and spotted the Slytherins walking across the field, broomsticks in hand. Wood shot to the ground and the team followed him.

"Flint!" Wood growled. "We booked the field specially. You can clear off now."

Marcus Flint looked like a small troll in comparison to Wood, he replied smartly, "There's plenty of room. Besides we have a note from Professor Snape himself." he pulled out the parchment. Wood took it from him and read it a loud. "_I Professor S. Snape, give the Slytherin team permission to practice today, owing to the need to train their new Seeker_.'" Wood lowered the parchment to stare at Flint in disbelief. "You've got a new Seeker? Who?"

From behind the hulking figures of the Slytherins came the small, pale boy. Draco Malfoy. He looked at Alex and smiled. Feeling uncomfortable by that smile, she inched closer to her female teammates. "And father was kind enough to get us all new brooms." Malfoy waved his broom up, showing the gleaming handle that read, _Nimbus Two Thousand and One_. Alex saw, out of the corner of her eye, saw Kurama, Ron, Hermione, Yusuke and Hiei come towards them.

"What's going on?" Yusuke whispered to her.

"Slytherins are storming field." She muttered back to her.

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in." Hermione said sharply. "They got in on pure talent."

Malfoy's face faltered. "No one asked your opinion you filthy mudblood."

Alex gasped. How dare he call her _that_. Her eyes narrowed and Kurama and Hiei had to hold her back to stop her from murdering Malfoy. Oliver and Angelina had to hold back the Weasley twins as well.

_"How dare you!"_ Alex screamed.

Ron pulled out his wand and yelled, "Eat slugs Malfoy." But the spell intended for Malfoy backfired and hit Ron full on, sending him backwards onto the ground.

"Ron, are you all right?" Hermione squealed, kneeling down next to him. He opened his mouth to speak but instead of words a large slimy slug fell out of his mouth.

"Let's get him to Hagrid's, it's closest." Harry said, and he and Kurama picked Ron up by his shoulders and guided him towards Hagrid's hut, Yusuke, Hiei, and Hermione followed closely behind.

The Slytherins were howling with laughter. Alex turned to glare at them before following the others, and noticed that Malfoy was only faking. His eyes were trained on her, pain was filled in them. Her breath was stuck in her lungs. _Why is he staring at me like that? Of course, he should feel bad for what he called Hermione._ Alex pursed her lips and with one final look at Malfoy; just to make him feel worse, she turned and ran to catch up with the others.

They reached Hagrid's Hut and Alex knocked on the door. Hagrid opened it and his big burly face bore a giant smile. "Been wonderin' when you'd be comin' t' see me. Come in," He made way for all of them to enter and Kurama and Harry sat Ron on a nearby chair. As Harry explained what happened, Hagrid grabbed a pail and handed it to Ron, who began spitting the slugs into it.

"Better out than in," Hagrid said as they all took seats around the small cabin. "It'll stop soon enough." He turned to Harry. "So who was he trying t' curse?"

"Malfoy called Hermione something... well, I'm not exactly sure what it was." Harry said, looking rather confused. Hermione ducked her head, small tears rolling down her cheek. Alex put a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"He called her a _Mudblood _Hagrid." Alex said with a slight growl.

"He didn'!" Hagrid said angerly.

"He did." Hermione said quietly.

"What's it mean?" Yusuke asked.

"It's a really fowl name to call someone who is Muggle-born, you know, non-magical parents." Alex explained. "He had no right to call her that."

"It must've been the first thing that came to mind." Kurama said.

"Don' you go thinking about it to much Hermione." Hagrid put in. "There ain't a spell out there tha' you can't do." He said proudly.

Hermione brought her face up, and there was a smile on it. "Thank you."

They all chatted for awhile, while Ron continued to burp up slugs. As soon as they thought he was safe to head back up to the castle, did they bid Hagrid a farewell. It was lunch time, so they all made their way to an empty portion one of the tables and Alex and Harry began to eat ravenously, having not eaten since the night before. While enjoying their meal, Professor McGonagall stepped up to them. "Potter, Weasley, you will both be serving your detentions tonight."

"What are we doing Professor?" Ron asked.

"You will be polishing the silver in the trophy room with Mr. Filch. And no magic, Weasley." She looked at Harry. "And you Potter, will be helping Professor Lockhart answer his fanmail."

Alex watched as Harry's jaw dropped. "Eight O'Clock, both of you." She turned and disappeared into the Entrance Hall.

"Sorry about that mates." Alex said, silently happy that she hadn't been in the flying car with them.

* * *

At five to eight, Alex, Kurama and Yusuke went with Harry as far as the Third Floor, where they parted with him and met up with Hiei and Kuwabara in the Entrance Hall. The group made their way out to the forest clearing for some well needed training. But Alex was distracted by the day's earlier events at the Quidditch Pitch.

"Speak up, Rowen." Hiei said, sensing her discomfort.

"It's just Malfoy."

"Got your panties in a bunch over that jerk?" Yusuke teased. She glared at him.

"It's just, well, part of me thinks that he didn't mean to call Hermione that _word_." She sat on the ground and pulled at grass blades. The others joined her, save for Hiei who continued to stand.

"Why do you say that?" Kuwabara asked.

"It's just something that's been drilled into his head over the years of being in a high-class pure-blooded family. Sometimes, things just pop out of our mouths when you don't want them too."

Yusuke looked at her. She looked back. "What?"

"What brought on that little thought?" He asked her, shrugging.

Her cheeks went a light shade of pink. "Nothing, it's just, when I looked at the team, he didn't have his heart in the laughter, and his eyes showed guilt and it looked like he felt bad for saying it."

"Hm." Was all that Yusuke could muster in return.

"You don't believe me, do you?" She growled.

"Not in the slightest." She pounced on him, and they began wrestling on the forest floor, laughing the whole time.

Before they knew it, they were trudging back up to the castle, all of them covered in mud. Bidding Hiei and Kuwabara goodnight, Kurama, Alex and Yusuke made their way back up to the Gryffindor tower and stepped into the common room, where Ron and Harry were both standing, animatedly discussing something. "-I know what I heard. I didn't imagine it like Lockhart thinks I did."

"I believe you Harry- whoa, what happened to you three?" Ron said, noticing the mud covered kids.

Yusuke sighed. "Rather not talk about it."

"What's going on?" Kurama asked as Alex shook mud out of her tail. So Harry recounted to them about hearing a mysterious voice in Lockhart's office about wanting to kill someone.

Alex yawned. "How strange. I would probably have something to say about it, but I feel I've done enough thinking for one night. We can discuss this more in the morning, all right?" They all nodded, feeling tired themselves. Bidding them goodnight, Alex made her way up to the girl's dormitory and after changing and getting cleaned up, collapsed on her bed and instantly fell asleep.

* * *

Hope you all liked it. Please Review! ~.^


	4. Draco's Strange Behavior Revealed

By October, Alex was worn out. Having to deal with Quidditch practice five times a week and nightly training sessions with the Detectives on top of the homework they were given, Alex felt like she would collapse at any moment. She had been lucky not to have to deal with Malfoy for the time, since he had been hiding his face from her ever since Ron had tried to curse him.

Currently was on her way back from Quidditch practice with Harry, both who were soaking wet from the torrential downpour of rain going on. Unfortunately for them, the rain didn't dampen Oliver's spirits. Upon entering the school, they found Ron, Kurama and Hermione waiting for them. "How'd practice go?" Ron asked them as they all began to ascend the stairs to their dormitory.

"Cold, wet, and unbearable." Alex grumbled as she shook herself off like a wet dog, spraying the others with water. "Sorry."

"Wood's gone crazy with all this practicing." Harry said. "By the time we actually play, we'll be too tired to do anything."

At the archway into the second floor corridor, Alex froze. The others who had stepped ahead of her looked behind to see fear in her eyes.

"What's wrong Alex?" Kurama asked. She swallowed and looked at them.

"Something down there. I'm hearing some kind of voice. Almost a whisper." She spoke softly, not wanting to let her voice carry.

"You can hear someone whispering all the way down there?" Ron asked skeptically. Alex rolled her eyes and shot him a look, pointing to the fox ears that had appeared on her head. He blushed and grinned sheepishly.

"Oh, right..." He mumbled. Hermione gasped and pointed down the hall.

"Look, there's something written on the wall." They made their way down the corridor, Alex returned her ears to normal as they reached the wall. There was a large puddle of water reflecting the torches on the wall. In between two torches were written in red:

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.

ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.

Kurama's eyes wandered to one of the torches. Hanging from it by her tail was Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat, she was stiff, as if frozen, her eyes were open wide. Kurama tugged on Alex's robe sleeve. She turned and saw the cat as well. She stifled a gasp.

Before any of them could question what was written or get out of there before they were caught, voices were heard behind them. Dinner had let out and everyone was on their way to bed. They came crashing into the passage, and the chatter died away as they saw the hanging cat and the blood-red words on the wall. Kurama, Harry, Ron, Alex and Hermione stood alone in the middle of the corridor, frozen to the spot. Through the silence someone shouted, "Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!" It was Draco Malfoy. He had pushed his way to the front of the crowd, his usually pale complexion was flushed. Alex's heart flared at his words. How could he say that? She shot a look at him, which quickly wiped the smile, which was on his face, away. Alex continued to glare at him, despite him already looking away.

"What's going on here?" Argus Flich, along with Snape, Dumbledore, Gilderoy, and McGonagall all appeared in the hallway, curious as to why there were a mass of students in the second floor corridor. Filch saw Mrs. Norris hanging there. "My cat! What happened!" He shrieked. Then his eyes fell on the five of them that were still standing in the middle of the corridor, unable to move. "You! It was you! You murdered my cat!" He pointed his finger at them. Alex wasn't sure exactly which of them he meant.

"Argus, please be calm." Dumbledore said in his calm voice. Ignoring Alex and the others, he stepped towards Mrs. Norris. After a few moments he stepped back. "She's only been petrified. But how, I cannot say. But we will be able to cure her. Professor Sprout has some Mandrakes, which will soon reach their full size, we can make a potion to return her to normal." Filch sighed in relief, though he still looked a little sad.

"You may all return to your dormitories." Professor McGonagall said to the mass of students who were still standing there. She waved them away with the help of Snape. As soon as they were all gone, Dumbledore turned to Alex, Harry, Kurama, Ron and Hermione.

"You may go as well. I'm sure you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time." He said with a sparkle in his eyes. They quickly left and returned to the Gryffindor common room, sinking into the lounge chairs and couch around the dying fire.

"Think we should have told him about the voice?" Harry asked. Yusuke appeared from the boys' dorm and sat himself down next to Alex on the couch.

"No," Ron said. "Hearing voices is never a good sign, even in the wizarding world."

Something in his voice made Alex ask, "You believe us don't you?"

"'Course I do." Ron said quickly. "But you gotta admit, it is rather weird."

Kurama chuckled, hoping to lighten the mood he said, "Just as strange as Alex's presence is affecting Malfoy." Everyone but Alex laughed. Her eyes narrowed.

"If the entire school wasn't right there, I would've slapped the git right then. He had no right to say that." The clock in the room chimed. "It's getting late." Alex said while yawning. "We'd best get to bed."

Alex was sitting in the library, books of all sizes surrounded her, and she was sleeping on an open book. Kurama tapped her shoulder and she was awake instantly. "What are you doing with all these books?" Yususke asked. She rubbed her eyes and stretched.

"Trying to find out about the Chamber of Secrets. I've been here since sunup looking for something." She stood and closed the book she had fallen asleep on.

"So did you find anything?" Kuwabara asked.

"I did, but let's discuss it elsewhere." Alex had seen Crabbe and Goyle lurking by a bookshelf behind her, and had been there most of the morning. They stood out like a body part sticking out of an invisibility cloak. _Malfoy really needs to find less obvious spies to do his dirty work. I guess Hiei didn't want the job. _She thought as they left the library. In the Great Hall, Alex told the others what she had learned:  
"We all know about the four founders, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. They lived in harmony for awhile, passing their knowledge onto their students. But soon Slytherin wanted to be more selective in the choosing of the students, he disliked the taking of Muggle-born students. Gryffindor and Slytherin had a huge arguement on the subject and it led to Slytherin's departure from the school.  
"Supposedly, before Slytherin left the school, he built a hidden chamber that the others knew nothing about. According to legend he sealed the chamber so that only his true heir would be able to open it and release a beast within to purge the school of all students who were Muggle-born. It's said that the monster is something that only the Heir of Slytherin could control." There was silence as Alex finished the story.

"So," Ron began. "If there is an Heir, who do you think-" He would have finished but Hiei had appeared behind Alex.

"We need to talk. Now." Alex slid out of her seat.

"I'll see you all in History of Magic." Alex followed Hiei into the Entrance Hall courtyard. It was a nice day, though still rather cold. "What's up Hiei?"

"Malfoy wants to talk with you."

"Well you can tell that foul-mouthed git that I won't-"

"I think you should." Alex gaped at the fire demon with her jaw hanging down.

"Have you gone daft? After what happened on the Quidditch pitch?"

"I know. But hear what he has to say, then make your call. Tonight during dinner, the music room." Then he disappeared. It was odd enough for Hiei to be saying the stuff he did, but it was even stranger for him to potentially put her in danger, if Malfoy really was the Slytherin's heir, which she knew was what the other suspected. Alex sighed and sat on a nearby bench, thoughts swirled around in her head.

* * *

"Malfoy wants to talk with you?" Hermione questioned later.

"An actual civilized conversation?" Ron was as flabbergasted as she had been earlier.

"Yea, but Hiei wouldn't tell what it would be about."

"Maybe he's finally confessing his love for you." Kuwabara teased. Alex paled then blushed.

"I would have to turn him down." She said. "Besides, I still have my secret admirer to worry about."

"Finally figure it out?" The Weasley twins appeared behind their brother. She smiled at them.

"No."

"Well what if Malfoy was the admirer?" Fred suggested. Alex paled even further.

"I don't think that's possible." She muttered. They shrugged.

"You never know." George replied. "See you later." They left the Great Hall. Ron turned to her.

"How can you tell them apart Alex? You seem to be able to do it so well." She grinned.

"I'm not giving away my little secret. It's a bit of leverage I have on them."

"Anyway, back to the Malfoy situation." Hermione interjected.

"Right, perhaps with you getting close to Malfoy is a good thing. You may be able to drag out information on the Heir of Slytherin from him. Maybe even have him confess it to you." Harry said.

"Then we wouldn't have to use a Polyjuice Potion." Ron muttered. He still wasn't keen on the idea of changing into a Slytherin.

"A Polyjuice Potion? Are you mad? How would you get the book out of the Restricted Section?" Alex asked.

"I was going to ask Professor Lockhart." Hermione said with a little sigh.

"Ah... I, uh, see." Alex said. _He is gullible enough for that._ She said telepathically to the other boys, who snickered quietly so Hermione wouldn't hear.

"Well, let's stick with the Polyjuice plan, just in case I can't get anything out of Malfoy, alright?" Alex said, and then she left for the common room.

* * *

Alex still didn't like any of this. Although Yusuke and Kuwabara had offered to go as bodyguards, she had declined, knowing that if they were meeting in secret, Crabbe and Goyle would have been left behind as well. Dinner was fast approaching. Everyone was already down in the Great Hall enjoying each others company, while she was several flights up from the nearest help. She had found the music room and opened the door. There was no one there. She must have been early. She closed the door behind her and looked around. She found a grand piano sitting near one of the large windows of the room. She made her way to it and sat down. Positioning herself she placed her fingers on the keys and began to play Claude Debussy's _Clair de lune_. She didn't notice the shadow that lingered near her as she became absorbed in the music. She finished and heard a singular applause. She quickly stood and saw Malfoy standing there.

"And when were you going to make yourself known?" He ignored the question.

"That was a beautiful rendition of Debussy. Where did you learn to play the piano?" This took her by surprise.

"How do you know about Debussy? He's a Muggle." She asked.

"I'm not completely ignorant."

"Well that's news to me."

He scoffed. "I didn't have you come here so we could argue."

"Then why are we here. I'm not overly excited about being in your company."

He averted his gaze. "I- I, uh, wanted to apologize," He said quietly. "For everything I've said over the past few weeks."

Alex was taken aback. "A-apologize? You? Why?" There was a tinge of pink in Draco's pale cheeks.

"Look, it's hard to explain and if my father found out that I like a Gryffindor-" His words caught in his throat.

"Oh," She really wasn't surprised. "Is that so?" So the boys were right. Yusuke would never let her live this down if he found out. "So you were just trying to keep up appearances?" He nodded. "Well, isn't that sweet." He looked at her. "I'm flattered, but, I'd rather... try and be friends." He looked away.

"I see, I guess that wasn't so difficult to say. Hiei was right."

"Hiei..." She smiled. _That clever little demon. I guess I'll have to repay him for this... and... well, Malfoy isn't so bad._ She thought. "Well Mal- Draco, if your willing, I too, will try to make this friendship work." She smiled at him and he smiled back, a genuine smile.

"Alright." Her stomach growled. "I guess we should head to dinner." And together they left the room, secretly new friends.

* * *

Ever since the horrific incident with the pixies, Professor Lockhart had resigned to reading excerpts from his books. He especially liked using Harry and Alex for reenactments. They suffered through them in order to stay on Lockhart's good side. Alex knew there was something off about the guy, but he still might prove useful.

The bell rang and Harry, Ron, Hermione and Alex hung back. Hermione wanted to get into the Restricted Section and the only teacher who would sign something for the book they were looking for was Lockhart, for he would sign anything.

"Professor Lockhart?" Hermione approached his desk with a piece of paper in hand. "There's a book I wanted to get out of the library - for some background reading - but it's in the Restricted Section and I need a teacher's signature. I'm sure it would help me understand what you were saying in _Gadding with Ghouls_ about slow acting venoms-"

"Ah, _Gadding with Ghouls_," Lockhart took the piece of paper from her. "Well I'm sure no one will mind if I give the best student a bit of help." He signed it in a giant loopy signature and handed it back to Hermione. "So Harry, Alex," He turned his attention to them as Hermione fumbled to put the note in her bag. "Tomorrow is the first match of the Quidditch season. Gryffindor versus Slytherin, correct? I hear you two are quite the players. I was a Seeker once, too. If you ever feel the need for a private lesson-"

"Thank you for the offer Professor, we'll consider it." Alex replied as they hurried off after Ron and Hermione.

* * *

"We'll prepare the Polyjuice Potion as planned, in case you really can't get anything out of Malfoy." Hermione said after they had retrieved the book they needed. Alex hadn't told them what had transpired at her meeting with Malfoy the night before, but she wasn't concerned with it, now her mind was on the upcoming Quidditch match.

"I really don't think he'll tell me anything. What if he doesn't even know himself?" That thought had crossed her mind.

"He must know. He's a Slytherin, he's in the know." Ron said.

"Well this will take at least a month to fully mature." Hermione said.

"We can prepare it in the empty bathroom on the second floor. No one will look for us there." Alex said.

"The girls' bathroom?" Ron blanched. Alex laughed.

"No one ever uses it because of Moaning Myrtle."

* * *

Alex woke early the next morning and dressed in her Quidditch robes and made her way down to the Great Hall for an early breakfast. She sat at one of the long tables and ate quietly. A little while later the twins, Wood and the rest of the team minus Harry came down. Harry came down a little while after that. No one spoke all through breakfast, afterward, they all made their way to the locker rooms. They sat down to listen to Wood's pre-match speech.

"Slytherin has better brooms than us, I will admit it. But we have better people on ours. We've been training every free moment in all weather." Wood turned to Harry. "It'll be up to you Potter to get the Snitch before Malfoy. We have to win this match, we just have to."

"So, you know, no pressure or anything Harry." Fred said, winking at him.

They walked out onto the pitch, a roar of noise greeted them, mainly cheers because Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff wanted to see Slytherin lose, but the Slytherin's made their share of boos and hisses. Madam Hooch walked out with the box of all the balls for the game and Quaffle in hand.

"On my whistle," She said. "Three...two...one..." All the players rose high into the air, Harry flew higher than them all keeping his eyes glued for the Snitch.

"All right there, Scarhead?" Malfoy yelled, flying past to show off the speed of his broom. Harry ignored him, for at that moment a Bludger came flying at him, he narrowly avoided it.

"Careful Harry!" George said as he flew past with his bat in hand. He saw George give the Bludger a whack towards Adrian Pucey, but the Bludger changed direction and made a beeline for Harry again. he dropped quickly to avoid it and George hit it towards Malfoy but it swung around for Harry again. Harry took off for the other end of the Quidditch pitch but the Bludger chased after him. Bludgers never went after one person, so what was going on? Fred and George were now flying close to Harry, who could only see them on either side and didn't have a chance to look for the Snitch.

"Someone's- tampered- with- this- Bludger-" Fred grunted while swinging his bat.

"We need a time out." George said trying to get Wood's attention. Wood got the message, Madam Hooch's whistle rang out through the pitch and Fred, George and Harry dived to the ground still trying to avoid the mad Bludger.

"What's going on? I nearly had my head taken off by a Bludger and we haven't been able to score." Alex said, clearly not pleased that they were being beaten.

"We were 20 feet above you trying to keep a rogue Bludger from killing Harry." George said angrily. She avoided his gaze, suddenly feeling bad. "Someones fixed it- it won't leave Harry alone."

Madam Hooch walked toward them. "Listen," Harry said as she neared them. "I won't be able to catch the Snitch with you two flying around me. You focus on the other Bludger and I'll deal with the rogue Bludger."

"Are you crazy Harry, if you have a rogue after you, it's suicide." Alex said, clearly worried about her friend.

"We can't forfeit the match. I can get the Snitch, I'll be fine."

"Oliver..." Alex looked at their Captain, who was clearly torn between wanting to win and keeping his Seeker alive.

"Ready to resume play?" Hooch asked Wood.

"All right, Fred, George, you heard Harry, leave him alone. But Harry, try catch the Snitch quickly."

It had begun to rain heavily as the game resumed. Alex focused on trying to score, but thoughts of Harry kept drifting into her head.

"He'll be alright, Alex." George said as he blocked the other Bludger from hitting her an she scored a goal. She looked at him.

"I hope you're right George." She called back and resumed playing.

Above them, Harry looked like a wild ride at an amusement park, doing his best to avoid the heavy Bludger and search for the Snitch at the same time. "Training for the ballet, Potter?" Malfoy yelled as Harry had to a stupid twirl to avoid the Bludger again. He glared at Malfoy and saw it - _the Golden Snitch_ - inches above Malfoy's left ear, and he hadn't seen it since he was busy laughing at Harry.

WHAM.

Harry had paused a second too long. The Bludger hit him with full force, right in his elbow and he felt his arm break. But he still had to get to the Snitch, he fought through the pain and flew towards Malfoy, who thought Harry was attacking him. He flew out of the way just in time. With his free hand Harry reached for the Snitch and grabbed it. There was a yell from the crowd below as he made his way for the ground, while he tried not to pass out.

Alex flew up to him and slung his good arm over her shoulder and guided him to the ground. "You're a brave idiot, you know that?" She muttered to him as they landed on the ground. Alex sat him on the wet ground and pulled the Snitch from his hand. "He's broken his arm, we need to get him to Madam Pomfrey." Alex said as the rest of the team gathered around them. She made to sling his good arm over her shoulder again to guide him to the castle, but they didn't even get to stand up before- "Oh no." Harry heard Alex mutter. His vision was blurry, but he could make out a glitter of teeth.

"Oh no, not you."

"Doesn't know what he's saying." Lockhart said loudly to the group around them. "Not to worry Harry, I'm gonna fix your arm."

"No!" Alex exclaimed, Lockhart looked at her. "I think it's best for Madam Pomfrey to fix it. You know how she get's when people interfere."

"Not to worry," He repeated. "I've used this charm countless times, it'll work." He twirled his wand and Harry felt a strange sensation in his arm. It didn't hurt and more, though it didn't quite feel like an arm. "Ah, yes, well that can happen sometimes. Perhaps you should escort him up to the Hospital Wing Miss Rowen, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger would you help her?" They pulled him to his feet, and he felt lopsided. He looked at his arm and saw that it was like a rubber glove. He couldn't move his fingers. Lockhart hadn't mended his bones, he had removed them.

Alex was right, Madam Pomfrey wasn't pleased. "You should've come straight to me. I can mend bones in a second - but growing them back -"

"You will be able to, won't you?" Harry asked desperately.

"Of course I can, but you're in for a rough night."

Hermione and Alex waited outside the curtains where Ron was helping Harry into his pajamas. "Well how can you stick up for Lockhart now Hermione." Ron asked as he pulled back the curtain. Harry was lying in bed, his arm hung limp off the side of the bed.

"Anyone can make a mistake. And it doesn't hurt anymore does it Harry?"

"No, but it doesn't do anything either."

Alex was not pleased. "I told him." She sighed. "Though, we won, and it was a brilliant catch Harry." She smiled. Madam Pomfrey came over with a bottle labeled _Skele-Gro_.

"Regrowing bones is a nasty business." She said as she handed Harry a beakerful. So was the Skele-Gro. Madam Pomfrey left.

"Well, we should go Harry. You need some rest. We'll stop in before breakfast." Alex said and they left Harry. Outside the Wing Malfoy was standing there, still covered in mud, like Alex.

"See you in the common room Alex." They said and left her alone with the Slytherin Seeker.

"Having a nice victory?" He sounded angry.

"Lockhart removed Harry's bones. It's not exactly a pleasant sensation." She replied.

"Yea, neither is being yelled at by your Captain."

"Look Draco, you can't be mad at me." She giggled. "You were the one who was spending more time taunting and teasing than playing. If you had been-"

"I know! And I don't need you to lecture me, alright?" He said bitterly. She couldn't pull the smile off her face.

"We'll talk later, okay? I need to get cleaned up." She gave his cheek a light peck. "Don't be so hard on yourself, it was just one loss." She left a slightly stunned Malfoy in the hallway.

* * *

Alex trudged up the stairs in clean robes from the girls showers, feeling much better after a long hot shower. On her way back to the common room she ran into Fred and George, who by the looks of it were also heading back from the showers.

"How's Harry?" Fred asked.

"He's staying in the Hospital Wing for the night, regrowing all the bones in his arm." She replied as they entered the common room together. "I still think he's an idiot for dealing with the Bludger on his own."

"Any idea as to who might have tampered with it?" George asked. She shook her head.

"Not a clue." She yawned. "Well. I'm off to bed. G'night." She said. "Oh and I would check your beds before you climb into them. Yusuke did something to them. Payback for the Puking Pastels in his dinner." Then she ascended the stairs to the girls dormitory.

Later that night she awoke to pressure on her chest. There were two large green eyes staring at her. "Dobby?" She asked, startled by the presence of the house elf.

"Dobby warned Lady Alex about returning to Hogwarts, but yet you still came back."

"Of course I did Dobby. This is like my home. I can take care of myself."

"Dobby tried to stop you, but you are impervious to house elf magic."

"Impervious? House elf magic- so it was you who stopped Harry and Ron from getting through the platform wall at the start of term?" She said, the links clicking into place.

"And my Bludger also did not chase away Harry Potter."

"Are you trying to kill him?"

"No not kill Harry Potter, just enough to have him leave Hogwarts. But Harry Potter says that Hogwarts is his home."

"It is Dobby, for both of us."

"It is too dangerous for Lady Alex and Harry Potter-" A noise from across the room stopped Dobby. "Goodbye Lady Alex." And with a snap Dobby was gone. She sighed. This was going to be a very long school year.

* * *

Pices: Alright, there you have it. The latest update for the story. I hope you all enjoyed and please don't be upset with how late it is. I'm working on the next chapter as we speak.  
What do you all think of the blossoming friendship between Draco and Alex? Please review!


	5. Dueling and Parseltongues

So here's the next chapter. As you might notice I'm beginning to take the story into my own hands, and the reason is is so that I can finally get to Year 3. I have some very exciting stuff planned for Years 3 and beyond, Years 4 and 5 being my favorites, I already have most of those written up. So yay! Anyway, here's chapter 5, and I've already begun on chapter 6. We're almost at the end here, and I'm really liking the direction this is going in. Thanks for all those who have been following the story! Please review!

* * *

At breakfast the stories flew about the attack on Colin Creevey. Harry wanted to tell the others what he had heard while in the Hospital Wing but they weren't there. Nor were they in the common room. Harry made his way to Moaning Myrtle's toilet, which is where he found Hermione and Ron working on the Polyjuice Potion.

"Where's Alex and the others?" He asked.

"Something about training...again." Ron replied. "I guess after the rogue Bludger, Koenma wants the guys to train Alex even more or something like that. Alex was muttering about it this morning." Harry watched as they finished adding ingredients to the potion. They already heard the stories about Colin. "I think Malfoy was in such a foul mood after the match that he took it out on Colin."

"I don't think so." Hermione spoke up. "Remember, Alex was talking with him outside the Hospital Wing. I think she was able to calm him down somewhat."

"Well why don't we go ask her?" Harry suggested. "We know where their training spot is. Why not stop by and see how things are going? Who knows how long they've been out there." So they made their way down across the grounds to the enclosed space Dumbledore had given to the band of Detectives. There they found Alex with Kurama, Kuwabara, Hiei and Yusuke sitting with Koenma. Alex looked up at them and smiled. She stood to greet them.

"What brings you three out here?" She asked. They joined the others on the soft grass. Harry told them about Colin Creevey.

"Yes, I heard last night. We've been out here ever since waiting for Koenma, who just arrived. Koenma you remember Harry, Ron and Hermione?"

Koenma nodded. "How are you all doing?" Alex nudged him.

"You don't have to be so formal." She looked at Harry. "Koenma is here because of the recent events. Dumbledore is asking for Spirit World's help. Anyway, how's the arm?"

"Good, though I didn't get much sleep."

"Me either. Dobby came to visit. I'm guessing he stopped to see you as well." Harry nodded.

"How come Dobby hasn't attempted to get you to leave the school?" Ron asked.

"Apparently, house elf magic doesn't seem to work on me. Why though, I haven't the faintest idea."

"So how goes the Polyjuice Potion?" Kuwabara asked.

"It goes well. It's in the beginning stages." Hermione replied.

Koenma stood. "I really have to be going. Alex, Botan will be by to check on you every now and again. Try not to get into too much trouble all right?" She nodded.

"I promise Koenma, but trouble seems to follow us." He left disappearing beyond the protective barrier.

"Who's Botan and why is she checking in on you?" Harry asked.

"Botan is a spirit ferry. She guides those who have died to Spirit world." Alex pulled out a small golden egg. "This is to be my new guardian. A spirit beast that will reflect my spirit. I have to feed it good energy from my spirit to raise it. Once it's too big for me to carry, Botan will take it to have it feed on my energy from Spirit World. Once it's ready, it will hatch and become my new companion."

"Oh. Sounds interesting." Ron said. She laughed as did the boys. It was then that Harry noticed the blue _thing_ on Yusuke's head.

"Um, Yusuke, what is that on your head?" Harry asked.

"Oh this?" He pulled it off his head, not looking terribly pleased. "This is Puu. My Spirit Beast." Ron and Harry snickered, along with Kuwabara, who still found it funny. "Shut up!" Alex laughed too. Puu flew to her.

"Ah, poor Puu. Yusuke just doesn't appreciate you does he?"

"So Alex," Hermione began. They needed any information they could get from her.

"I did talk with Malfoy." Alex knew the topic was going to come up. "And still there is nothing of value I can tell you. My gut is telling me that someone else is doing this." She patted Puu's head and he flew back to Yusuke's head. "What's upsetting about this is that the students are terrified and we do anything to help." It was true, unknown to the teachers, a trade in talismans, amulets and other protective charms was sweeping the school. The First years stuck together, traveling in tight-knit groups when walking through the hallways.

Ginny was distraught, since she had sat next to Colin, but Alex and Harry felt that Fred and George were going about cheering her up the wrong way. They would pop out from behind statues. They had to stop when Percy threatened to write to Mrs. Weasley and tell her Ginny was having nightmares.

"Speak of the devils." Kuwabara muttered as Fred and George burst through the barrier, red in the faces.

"And what's with you two hiding here?" Alex said. They looked at her, obviously they weren't expecting anyone to be there.

"We hide here all the time from Filch and Percy." Fred defended.

"Right now, we're hiding from Percy. He found the mouse we placed in his bed." George said.

Alex sighed. "This isn't a secret hideaway, it's our training field." George looked at her.

"Yea, looks like you're training really hard out here." Alex sighed and shook her head. She turned back to Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"We have History of Magic tomorrow, thinks there's any chance of learning about the Demon/Wizard conflict?"

"I hope so. I haven't read a single book that includes a detailed description of it." Hermione said.

"You won't find anything in a book about that conflict." Fred said.

"Why?"

"Because it happened during a time that most Wizards would want to forget."

"Well, aren't we full of information today?" The twins stood up to make their leave.

"We're a year ahead of you, remember? We've already had our lessons on it." George said and the two left.

Alex stood up and signaled to Hiei to do the same. In one quick motion, he was standing across from her. "Might as well make use of our day." She unsheathed her swords and Hiei unsheathed his. For the first time Harry noticed Alex's left arm was bandaged. Hiei smirked.

"Gladly."

"Begin." Kurama said from his place on the ground. Faster than Ron, Harry, and Hermione's eyes could follow, Hiei and Alex flew at each other swinging their swords with skill and precision. While they were fighting each other, Harry leaned over to Kurama.

"What's with the bandages on Alex's arm?" He asked.

"I'm not sure. Alex has been spending a lot of time alone or with Hiei. It's possible that she's learned something from him-" He was cut off as Alex was thrown across the field and slammed into a tree. She groaned, slumped over at the base of the tree.

"Hn. Come on, that didn't hurt." Hiei said, sword still in hand. Alex pulled her head up and slowly stood up.

"Hurt more than you think." The bandages on her arm were loose and it looked like she was struggling to hold something back.

Kurama stood up. "I believe that it's lunch time. Why don't we head on up to the castle?"

"Well, alright." Hermione said. They all stood up. "Alex are you going to be okay?" Alex smiled at her as Hiei focused on rebinding her arm.

"I'll be just fine. Go on without us. We'll be there in a bit." With one last look, Harry followed the others up to the castle.

* * *

Alex woke early Monday morning, anxious for the History of Magic lesson. Normally she wasn't excited for the class, but this lesson was different. It was the history of her kind and how they play into the Wizarding World. Alex dressed quickly and made her way downstairs to the great hall for breakfast. It was fairly empty, she looked around for someone she knew and spotted Draco, who was surprisingly alone. Smiling, she made her way over to him and sat across from him. "Good morning." She said cheerfully, helping herself to a glass of pumpkin juice. He looked up, still looking sleepy, and smiled when he saw that it was Alexandria.

"Morning." He replied. "Awfully brave of you to sit yourself across from me in public."

"I'm not afraid of the public opinion anymore. Why should I?" She said, placing a small pile of eggs on her plate. "Why, are you embarrassed to have a Gryffindor sitting at your table?"

Draco scoffed a little. "No, I'm not... surprisingly." He smiled again. "I rather enjoy your company."

"Unfortunately, this little union is going to be cut short." Behind Draco, Hiei had appeared. He sat down next to Draco.

"Good morning to you too Hiei." Alex said curtly. He was still upset about yesterday's little mishap. The rest of breakfast was silent. Alex watched as the rest of the Slytherin's made their way towards them, and once they saw her sitting there, they sat away from the trio, unsure of what to make of the Gryffindor sitting near Draco. Soon enough it was time for class, which Gryffindor's had with Slytherin. Alex didn't want to feel anymore awkward than she already was and left Draco and Hiei to walk to class with Harry and the others.

"Morning Alex." Yusuke greeted with a silly grin on his face. She knew that he had seen her with Draco.

"Morning." She wasn't as excited about this lesson as she had been earlier. They walked into the classroom where Professor Binns, the only ghost teacher in the school, was waiting for them But he wasn't the only one. Professor McGonagall was there as well. Once they were all seated, he began the lesson.

"Today, I will be telling you all about the Demon/Wizard conflict." Several students sat up in their seats. Obviously they had heard about it from their parents. "Professor McGonagall is here to instruct you all on it, for she knows the most about it. If you will, Professor." It was the most humanly Alex had seen Professor Binns act. McGonagall stepped forward.

"Thank you Professor Binns. I will begin by telling you all about demons. Those of you raised in Muggle homes may not know about them." There were whispers among the students, Alex could hear the confusion in the voices of those who were muggleborn. "Demons are also known by another name, Apparition. They are spirits and creatures who roam the Demon Plane, a world of their own parallel to ours and the Muggles. They come in many forms, some human like, others not so much." She glanced up at Alex, which made her shift in her seat. "There are good demons and there are bad demons. And quite a few demons manage to slip into our world. Before the rise of You-Know-Who, there was peace between the demons and wizards. The Ministry helped keep evil demons at bay and offered asylum to those who were good." She looked up at the students. Alex looked around, everyone was absolutely enthralled by this tale. Apparently their parents had never told them the story before. Alex looked over at Draco, who was looking rather bored. He looked at her and smirked, the closest he could get to a smile in public. Alex smiled back and turned to hear the rest of the story.

"When You-Know-Who rose to power he managed to gather a large army of demons, but how is still quite a mystery. These demons weren't just the evil ones, some were the ones who had helped the Wizarding world. When the war ended," She glanced at Harry and Alex. "Many demons continued to attack wizards, and thus began the Demon/Wizarding conflict. Perhaps one day, demons and wizards will be able to settle their differences, but for now, there is no peace."

* * *

In the second week of December, Professor McGonagall came around collecting names of those who would be staying at school for Christmas. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Alex and the Detectives all signed their names. Alex told them that Malfoy was was also staying behind for the holidays, which struck the others as very suspicious. If Alex couldn't worm a confession out of him, then the holidays would be the perfect time to use the Polyjuice Potion.

Sadly, the potion was only half finished. They still needed the bicorn horn and the boomslang skin and the only place to find them was in Snape's private stores.

"What we need, is a distraction." She, Harry and Ron came up with a plan to get the ingredients. Alex refused to be a part of it.

Potions took place in the largest of the dungeons. Class went the usual way. Snape made his way through the rows of cauldrons, making waspish remarks about the Gryffindor's work. Alex watched to see what Hermione, Ron and Harry were planning. When Snape left their table to criticize Neville, Harry and Hermione looked at each other and she nodded. Harry pulled out one of Fred's Filibuster fireworks out of his pocket, gave it a prod with his wand and lobbed it across the room straight into Goyle's cauldron. Alex couldn't help but laugh at the perfect aim especially when the cauldron exploded showering the room with Swelling Solution. Malfoy got a faceful, and his nose began to swell like a balloon. Goyle was bumping into things, hands over his eyes, which had swelled to the size of dinner plates. Snape was trying to restore order to the class. Alex noticed that Hermione had slipped away in all the confusion.

"Silence! SILENCE!" Snape yelled. The class went slient, freezing where they stood. "Anyone who has been splashed, come here for a Deflating Draft." Alex snorted with laughter as she watched Malfoy hurry forward, his head dipping down from the weight of his nose. Hermione had slipped back into the dungeon, her bag slightly bigger than before.

When everyone had taken a sip of the antidote and the swellings had gone down, Snape went over to Goyle's cauldron and scooped out the black remains of the firework. There was a sudden hush in the room. "If I ever find out who did this," he whispered. "I will make sure that person is expelled!" The bell rang and they were grateful to leave. Alex followed the three into Moaning Mrytle's bathroom, Kurama and Yusuke in tow.

Hermione added the new ingredients to the cauldron and stirred it. "It'll be ready in two weeks." She said happily. Alex sulked by the sinks."Something wrong Alex?"

She looked up. "Uh, no, nothing."

"Well, if you still want to, there's enough potion for you to take." Alex looked at the putrid potion. There was something in her eyes that Kurama didn't like.

"Yea, maybe. I'll consider it."

* * *

A week later on their way to the Great Hall, they saw a small knot of people gathered around the notice board. Kuwabara, being the tallest out of the group, looked over the heads of the others and saw the piece of parchment that had everyone's attention. "They're starting a Dueling Club!" he said excitedly. Alex jumped to see the parchment.

"Well, it sounds rather intriguing. Shall we go?" So that night at eight they entered the Great Hall where the dining tables had been swept away and were replaced by an elegant stage in the middle of the room. Other students were already gathered around it, including Draco and his cohorts. Alex had the sudden urge to stand near them, but she stood fast, confused by this sudden feeling. Shaking her head she stuck close to Kurama and Yusuke, like they were her own Crabbe and Goyle, except less brutish.

"Wonder who's going to be instructing us?" Ron asked looking around. As if to answer his question, Gilderoy Lockhart walked up the steps onto the stage. This didn't make things better.

"Ugh." Alex sighed. "Why him, of all people?" Ron, Kurama, Yusuke and Harry all snickered at the despair in her voice.

"I'm sure he's quite talented." Hermione said in his defense. Alex rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the stage.

"Can everyone hear me?" Lockhart asked. "Can everyone _see_ me? Excellent!" He clapped his hands together. "Professor Dumbledore has allowed me to start this little dueling club in order to better arm yourselves in defensive magic."

Professor Snape stepped up onto the stage across from Lockhart, looking none-to-happy about being there. "Professor Snape has told me that he knows a little about Wizard Duel's and has sportingly agreed to a little demonstration."

"Sportingly my butt," Alex snorted. "Snape probably wants a chance at scaring that pretty face of his." She muttered. The group of students around the stage watched in awe and admiration as the two teachers faced each other and presented themselves in the traditional Duel fashion.

"Three, two...one!" Before Lockhart had even finished saying one, Snape said, "_Expelliarmus!_" And he was flying backwards across the stage. All the girls were standing on tiptoes wondering if Lockhart was alright.

Alex and the other boys were struggling to hold back bursts of laughter. Lockhart stood up and brushed himself off. "Yes, thank you Professor Snape, for showing the students that bit of offensive magic." He seemed quite stunned at the power.

"Perhaps," Snape said, "We should have them practice a bit of defensive magic first."

"Yes, that's an excellent idea." Lockhart looked around the stage. "Denton, come up here." Alex clambered as gracefully as possible onto the stage and stood near Lockhart. Snape smiled, as though she was the perfect choice.

"Malfoy." Snape said, and the pale boy jumped onto the stage. He didn't looked pleased at having to duel his new friend.

"Excellent, you two will be disarming your opponent, _disarm_ only. On my count."Alex stepped closer to Malfoy and held up her wand. He did the same.

"Scared Malfoy?" Alex did her best imitation of his actions towards Harry. He smiled.

"You wish."

"Ready? Begin!"

"_Expelliarmus!_" Alex yelled, it sent Malfoy flying backwards just like Lockhart had done moments before. She stood there looking rather triumphant. Snape pulled Malfoy, roughly, to his feet and whispered something in his ear. Malfoy's lips formed a frown, apparently not liking what Snape had just told him.

He was shoved foreward and rather reluctantly said, "_Serpensortia._" From the tip of his wand shot forth a rather large snake. It hissed angrily and slithered towards a group of Hufflepuffs, Kuwabara and some of his friends, including one Alex knew as Justin Finch-Fletchley.

Snape stepped forward rather casually. "Don't worry Denton, I'll get rid of it." But before he could flick his wand, Harry moved closer and whispered, "_Stay away from him._" Alex thought she heard hissing in his words. The snake inched forward a little more, but with hesitation. "_Back away!_" Harry said a little more forcefully. The snake looked at him and then coiled up. Everyone one in the room stood in stunned silence. Justin looked at Harry with frightened eyes.

"What do you think you're playing at?" And he took off. Alex looked at Kuwabara, "Go after him." She whispered to him. Kuwabara nodded and followed Justin along with the rest of the Hufflepuffs. Alex looked across over at Draco, his eyes wide with what she could only determine to be fear of some kind. Fear of Harry? Or fear of her? She really wasn't sure. "Draco..." Her voice trailed off. People around the stage began to leave the Great Hall. Alex noticed that Harry, Ron, Hermione, Kurama and Yusuke had already left. Snape pulled Draco down from the stage and they left towards the dungeons, Draco's eyes never left hers.

* * *

"What happened down there? Why was everyone so freaked out about the snake?" Alex asked when she got to the common room.

"Harry's a Parseltongue. He can speak snake." Hermione said. Alex looked at Harry who didn't looked too pleased about this news.

"But it sounded like he was speaking English to me." Alex replied. The others looked at her.

"What?" Kurama said. "You understood what Harry was saying?"

"Well yea," She said rather nonchalantly. "He was telling the snake to back off."

"Yea, Harry told us that, but the fact that you understand Parselmouth- well I'm not sure whether that has to do with your scar, or your demon powers, but if I took a guess it would have to be-"

"My scar- yea, I know... Voldemort was known for being able to speak with snakes... I'm going to bed." And with that Alex disappeared into the girl dormitory.


	6. Polyjuice Potions and Trips to the Past

Thanks to all of you who have been reading these!

I now have a little conundrum, which you, my readers, may be able to help me solve. I'm really enjoying where this story is going, especially with Draco and Alex. But... well I actually hadn't planned on how well it would go. **So here's my problem: I had originally intended for Alex to be paired with a Weasley (I don't want to say which so that it may be a surprise) but it would be either one of the Weasley twins or Charlie. But now it's going in a direction where I could pair Alex with Draco (which I know is the popular vote). _So here's where you guys come in: Do you want Alex with Draco or the Surprise Weasley?_** _So please let me know in a review, or preferably, a PM_. It would be most appreciated. This problem needs to be solved before Year 3, which is coming up soon!

Anyways, here's chapter 6!

* * *

Alex had been troubled by the discovery of her's and Harry's ability to talk to snakes and that connection to Voldemort. But she had to shrug it off, especially when around Draco, who was very interested in this. She had told him that she could understand the snake language. He had been quite giddy ever since.

"So you could hear Potter talk to the snake?" He asked for the umpteenth time.

She sighed, "Yes Draco. For the millionth time -yes." They were sitting in the library working on Potions homework together. It was a few days before vacation. He buried his head behind his potions book.

"Sorry." He muttered. "It's just a wonder that you're not in Slytherin." Her head shot up.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Well, talking to snakes is what Salazar Slytherin was known for. That's why our crest is a snake. And you're rather sneaky, always going out late at night with Hiei and the others... what do you guys do anyway?" He changed the topic suddenly, and caught Alex off guard.

"I- wait, what?"

Draco smiled. He was doing more of that lately, rather than his usual smirk. He leaned in so he could whisper, "I know that Hiei sneaks out in the middle of the night, and miraculously never gets caught. You, and your other friends are the only people he would go and see. So, what do you guys do?"

"Maybe he just wants to get away from you occasionally, and the middle of the night is the only time he can do so." She teased. Draco scoffed, as if it was the most ridiculous idea in the world.

"You may not trust me fully yet to tell me," He murmured, hitting the truth. "But, I'll prove my worth, and then you'll tell me, right?" He looked at her with the eyes of a young child, curious and hopeful.

Her gaze softened and she grabbed his hand. "I promise, Draco. But it's not because I don't trust you... it's because I'm not ready to tell you."

"Sure." Though she could tell that he didn't fully believe her.

"-told Justin to hide in our common room. I mean, if Potter really is the Heir, than he might be after Justin. I guess he let slip to Potter that he's Muggleborn-"

"They can't be serious!" Alex said in hushed tones, standing and peeking around a stack of books, she saw that there were a group of Hufflepuffs talking quietly to each other.

"Kuwabara, how can you be friends with someone who is possibly the Heir of Slytherin? And Alex? Isn't she friends with Draco Malfoy?" A boy Alex recognized as Ernie Macmillan said. She clenched her fists.

"I've been friends with Alex for awhile now, and I know that she doesn't make friends with bad people, and Harry isn't the Heir of Slytherin, he just can talk to snakes, besides, Harry's mom is Muggleborn, I think." Alex was proud to have Kuwabara standing up for them.

"Alex?" She had almost forgotten that she was with Draco. She turned back to him. Apparently he couldn't hear the conversation because of his human ears. She sat back down.

"Sorry, thought I heard someone say my name. Anyway, I really should go, I'm suppose to meet Harry for Quidditch practice." She smiled and gathered up her stuff.

"Right, maybe I can finish this myself." She waved goodbye and walked right past the table of Hufflepuffs.

"Hi Kazuma. How're you?" He looked up and smiled.

"I'm good. You?" She gave him a look that told him she heard the entire conversation. His look was apologetic.

"Good, I was just finishing Potions homework with Draco. Now I'm meeting up with Harry. Well see you later!" She said and left a rather abashed looking group of Hufflepuffs. Outside the Library Harry was waiting for her.

"Hi Harry, ready to go?" She asked. She saw Hagrid standing behind him. "Hello Hagrid." She saw the dead rooster in his hand, and decided against asking what it was all about.

"'Ello Alex." He replied and he seemed distracted.

"Yea. Bye Hagrid." He waved goodbye to them. They fell in step with one another and she told him about what the Ernie had said about them.

"That git. Doesn't he know anything?"

"Well, Kazuma tried to talk them away from those thoughts, but it didn't seem to work." They turned a corner and were stunned to see a motionless Nearly-Headless Nick and Justin Finch-Fletchley. They had been petrified.

"Potter! Denton!" They turned to see McGonagall standing there.

"Professor!"

"It wasn't- I mean, we just-"

"I'm afraid this is out of my hands, you two. Come with me." They solemnly followed her down a hall to a enclave with a large bird in it. "Stand inside." She instructed. They did so. "Lemondrop." Suddenly the floor began to shift and move upwards creating a staircase. It became clear to Alex that this lead to Dumbledore's office.

They reached the top of the stairs and step inside a room with many magical objects adorning the room. There were also pictures of the previous Headmasters adorning the walls. Alex and Harry wandered the room closely examining the different objects, for Dumbledore was not in the room. They reached Dumbledore's desk and saw that the Sorting Hat was sitting there.

"Bee in your bonnets?" It asked.

They looked at each other. "We were curious..."

"If I placed you both in the right House... yes, you both were difficult to place, but as I stated before, you both would have done well in Slytherin."

They shook their heads, disagreeing with the hats' statement, and turned at a noise. Sitting on a perch was a large red and gold bird. Alex stared in wide eyed fascination. It looked rather dull and old. Suddenly, with out warning, it burst into flames and became a pile of ash on the floor.

"Harry? Alex?" They turned to see Dumbledore at the top of a small flight of stairs. He descended the stairs and walked over to his chair behind his desk and sat in it and motioned for them to do the same with the chairs behind them. They did so.

Harry faltered. "Sir, your bird there was nothing we could-" Dumbledore held up a hand.

"Sir, is that a Phoenix?" He smiled.

"Very good Alex. Do you know the properties of a Phoenix?"

"They're tears have healing properties, they can carry immensely heavy loads and are extremely faithful pets."

"Yes. Very good."

"They also," she turned back to the pile of ashes, Harry did too. "are reborn from their ashes." A tiny bird head poked out from the ashes.

"Now, I'm sure you know why you're here?" They nodded and were about to speak when Hagrid burst in holding a rooster.

"Harry and Alex didn't do it sir! I was talkin' with 'em moments before it happened." Dumbledore held up a hand.

"Hagrid, I do not believe that either one of them did this." He spoke softly and calmly.

"You don't?" He looked embarrassed. "Ah, well, I'll just stand outside then." And he left the office.

"You don't think it was us Professor?" Alex felt really relieved.

"I don't..." He stood to walk them out. "But, is there something you wish to tell me?" He asked slowly.

They looked at each other, contemplating whether to tell him about the voices.

"No sir, nothing." Harry said for them.

* * *

The attack on Nearly Headless Nick had caused quite a stir in the school. Many of the students who weren't going home had now signed the sheet to go home. Break came and it made the castle very quite. Alex spent more time with Draco, she was beginning to enjoy his company more and more.

Christmas Eve, Alex was sitting in the library with Draco, reading as she usually did as he bombarded her with stories and questions. She listened well and remembered everything he told her. Hermione came over to interrupt them. Alex looked up at her. "Hello Hermione. Care to join us? Draco was just telling me about the first time he flew on a broom, it's quite funny." She knew that it bothered the others that she was becoming chummy with 'the enemy.'

"Uh, no thank you Alex. Actually, I was hoping I could speak to you, alone." She replied. Alex closed the book she was reading and stood, excusing herself from Draco. When they were a good distance from Draco, Hermione spoke again.

"The Polyjuice Potion is ready, we were going to use it tonight. Are you coming with us?" Alex sighed, she had been thinking about it for quite awhile.

"Yes, I already have the hairs I need." She help up a little vial with some dark hairs in it. "This is from Maria Moorland, she's a Slytherin, our year. I'll deal with her when the time comes. What about you?"

Hermione also pulled out a small vial with some dark hairs in it. "Mellicent Boulstrode. I too, will deal with her when the time comes. The boys are going to be Crabbe and Goyle. Does Maria spend time with anyone in that group?"

"She's Millicent's best friend, so they've all spent some time together. I think Maria likes Goyle, so there's an easy excuse there." Hermione nodded.

"Harry and Ron are dealing with Crabbe and Goyle now, so try and get Draco to the Great Hall and we'll meet him there in our disguises, alright? I'm going to deal with Boulstrode and then head to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom."

"Right, I'll meet you there in a bit." Hermione left and Alex walked back over to Draco.

"What was that all about?" He asked.

"Hermione isn't feeling well, I'm taking her to the Hospital Wing. Why don't we meet in the Great Hall for dinner?" He smiled, he too had been enjoying their time together, away from the prying eyes of the other students.

"Alright, but if you aren't there in half an hour, I'm going back to the common room."

"Deal. I hope Hermione's alright." She left the library.

Alex made her way down the corridor usually taken by Slytherin's on their way to the dungeons. With Hiei's help she knew Maria would be walking down here at any moment. She would knock her into unconsciousness take her robes and lock her in a broom closet. It wasn't exactly the nicest thing she was about to do; Maria liked her, and they had a sort of friendship built off her friendship with Draco. Silently, Alex hid behind a pillar and waited. She didn't have to wait long, she could hear Maria humming and the click of her shoes on the stone floors. She waited until Maria had passed her and then she knocked her out.

"Sorry Maria." She whispered as she took girl's robes. Then, she realized, that she didn't need to drink the Polyjuice Potion. How could she be so stupid, she was a demon, and a shapeshifter at that. She set the girl in a near by broom closet and locked the door. Then she made her way to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

"Ready?" Hermione began pouring a gloopy liquid into beakers.

"Don't worry about pouring any of mine." Alex shifted into a perfect replica of Maria. "I...forgot that I could do that." She blushed and looked into the mirror. She was slightly shorter and stouter, with honey brown hair that reached her shoulders and dark brown eyes.

"Great, well you don't get to enjoy this...lovely concoction here." Ron said, adding the hairs he got off Crabbe, it frothed. "Ew, essence of Crabbe. Well, cheers." The three of them drank up. Alex watched their faces, which contorted with looks of disgust. "I think I'm gonna hurl." Ron ran into the nearest stall.

"Me too." Hermione ran into another stall away down. Harry managed to keep everything down. Alex watched him as the transformation began. His skin was bubbling and stretching, he was getting taller and his hair shortened. The scar on his forehead disappeared and his eyes turned brown. They all had already put on their stolen Slytherin uniforms. He looked exactly like Goyle except for one thing-

"Woah." He still sounded like Harry. But granted, she still sounded like herself, but that was because she hadn't fully mastered her skills. Apparently the potion wasn't perfect either. "So?" He turned to her, showing himself to see what she thought.

"Not bad." She commented, then reached up to his face. "Except for these." She pulled his glasses off. "There, now it's perfect. Just remember to keep your voice lowered, or just grunt." There was a noise behind them and Ron- rather Crabbe- stepped out from the stall, hunched over. "Hermione? You okay?"

"You go on ahead." Her voice was muffled.

"Hermione?"

"Just go! You're wasting time and Malfoy is going to be leaving the Hall any moment." Alex shook her head and motioned for the boys to follow her.

They made their way to the Great Hall entrance and waited. They didn't have to wait long as Malfoy came out of the Hall, looking rather forlorn. Alex felt a stab of guilt strike her heart like a sword, it was her fault that he looked this way, but only in her current form would she be able to even see the inside of the the Slytherin rooms. Malfoy looked up and saw the two boys flanking her, his gaze hardened and he became the Slytherin that his pureblood learning and family had taught him to be; he was no longer the carefree boy she had discovered under this facade. "Crabbe! Goyle! Where've you been? And you-" He examined Alex-Maria, as though there was something off, then shrugged the feeling away. "what are you doing with them?"

Alex called upon her best Maria impersonation, "They got lost wandering around the third floor corridor. They were near the library! Can you imagine Malfoy? These two near a book!" She laughed. It was best if she did most of the talking. Draco formed something along the lines of a smirk.

"Yea, right. Anyway," He looked around as if he was searching for someone. A someone Alex knew would never show, and would have to apologize profusely when they met up tomorrow afternoon to exchange gifts. "Let's head back to the common room." They followed him down to the dungeons and past the potions classroom down another dank corridor to a dead end. "_Pureblood_." The wall melted away to reveal a hallway with green drapes making the hall seem taller than it actually was. They walked down it, passing several other corridors, possibly leading to the bathrooms and dormitories. Finally they reached common room which seemed rather homey for something so Slytherin. Alex admired the drapries and tinsel that hung from the circular room. There was a stone fireplace on the far wall that was burning brightly. Several Christmas trees of different sizes were clumped in a corner and decorated in beautiful silver and emerald baubles, a few gifts sat under the trees. In the middle of the room were a few couches and a couple of lounging chairs. Ron and Harry sat on the closest couch, Alex plopped into one of the chairs and Draco flung himself onto the other available chair.

"I'm so tired of these attacks..." He said, breaking the almost unbearable silence. "And people think Potter is the Heir-"

"What about Alex?" Alex cut in. She wanted to know what people were saying about her. She watched as Draco's expression changed from a slight anger to something along the lines of concern.

"I've heard people saying that she's in league with Potter. Which is a load of rubbish, Alex is above that." He voice was gentle when he said her name.

"Do you have any idea who the real Heir could be?" Ron attempted Crabbe's gruntish voice. Draco shot a look at him, wiping away all the soft emotions he had betrayed to them.

"You know I don't Crabbe!" He snapped. "I've even asked Father, but he says I shouldn't be sniffing around about it, and even still it happened before his time; almost fifty years ago. And, the last time it happened a Mud-Muggleborn girl died." The three Gryffindors looked at each other. This was not what Harry and Ron had expected, he had even refrained from using the word Mudblood, it was very un-Malfoyish of him. "I asked Father if Alex could come spend part of the summer with me. He's considering the idea. I guess I really do talk a lot about her." He said and Alex's head whipped back to him.

"You what?" She spluttered, rather un-Maria like.

"You heard me Moorland." He looked at the ground. "He sees that Alex means a lot to me. If they hadn't been going away for the holidays I would have invited her for the break." Alex looked at the boys. It was more than she wanted them to hear. She knew word of this would reach Yusuke's ears and he would never leave her alone after it. But Alex couldn't think about that now. A lot of time had passed, and she saw that the Polyjuice potion was wearing off. Ron's red hair was beginning to peek through, and Harry's scar was becoming more noticeable. Alex stood up, the other two followed suit.

"Crabbe, didn't you say earlier that you were having a stomachache? Maybe we should get you to the Hospital Wing." She said rather quickly and ushered the two boys out of the common room before Draco could say anything more. They had safely made it back to the bathroom before they said anything. Alex shifted back into her own self again and they all changed back into their own clothes.

"So it wasn't Malfoy-"

"Told you so." Alex muttered.

"Then who is it?"

"Hermione? Come on out, we've got some interesting news!" Alex said and stepped closer to her stall which was still closed.

"I'd rather not." Her voice was high-pitched. Moaning Myrtle appeared behind Alex.

"_Ohhh_! Wait until you see her! It's _awful!_" Alex looked at the ghostly girl.

"What do you mean? Hermione? Come on out, it can't be that bad." There was a slide and click of the lock coming out and the door opened slowly. There Hermione stood, but she didn't look like herself. Her face was covered in fur and her eyes were yellow and there were cat ears coming from the top of her head.

"It-It wasn't _Millicent Bloustrode's_ hair I grabbed!" She sobbed. "It was- was _cat_ hair! The potion _doesn't_ work with _animal_ hairs!"

"Oh Hermone!" Alex pulled her into a comforting hug. "Come on, we'll get you to Madam Pomfrey. She doesn't ask too many questions."

* * *

Hermione was going to be in the Hospital Wing for several weeks. On Christmas morning Yusuke, Kurama, Harry, Ron and Alex took their gifts to the Hospital Wing and, with Madam Pomfrey's permission, had themselves a quiet little Chirstmas to themselves. After all the gifts were open and everyone was munching on the sweets they had recieved, Alex excused herself and decended the stairs to the Entrance Hall and exited the school to the courtyard outside.

Snow was falling lightly. Alex had prepared herself for the cold, and was wrapped in a green scarf and the new green sweater Mrs. Weasley had knitted for her, which had, as always hung loosely around her thin frame. She cleared a bench off and sat, waiting for Draco. She had a small nagging feeling that he might ditch her today as she had done yesterday to him. But after a few minutes she was proven wrong as Draco stepped through the Entrance Hall door. he was clad in a black cloak and black turtle neck. He spotted her and walked towards her, his face was set like stone. He was still upset about yesterday. He silently sat down next to her. She couldn't bear to look at him. She rarely felt guilt like this. _Why is it so strong with him? I can't allow my emotions to reel out of control like this. My power is connected to these emotions, if I can't keep them in control, then how can I keep my powers in control?_ She thought. She took a deep breath, it still wasn't time to tell Draco what she was, but she knew it would have to be soon.

"Draco, I'm really sorry about yesterday. Hermione is still in the Hospital wing, and- and feel really bad about leaving you sitting there waiting for me." She said sincerely. The guilt seemed to dissipate. He looked at her. There was a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"It was only one dinner. Really, it's fine. You were helping a friend, even if it was Granger." He pulled something from his pocket. It was a gift in silver wrappings. He handed it to her. "Merry Christmas Alex." He looked at her a little more closely. "You know, you look like a Slytherin in those colors." He really smiled now. Alex took the gift from him, and gave him a little sneer.

"Yea, yea." Alex pulled out her gift to him from her pocket and handed it to him. "Merry Christmas Draco." He was waiting for her to go first. She carefully pulled apart the beautiful wrappings and opened the small box. Inside was a silver chain with a peridot teardrop gem hanging from it. She gave a sharp intake of breath. "_Draco._"

"I know that your birthday is August first, so this is your birthstone." She flung her arms around his neck, recieving a surprised yelp, but she ignored it.

"It's beautiful Draco, thank you." She could almost feeling a smile growing on his face. She pulled away. "Open yours." She said as she put the necklace on. It went well with her pale skin and the Quaffle locket that it now hung next to. He pulled the wrappings off his gift rather greedily, and opened the box. Inside was a pin, it was the Slytherin crest embedded on a silver shield.

"Wow..." He said as he put it on his cloak. "It's brilliant, thank you Alex."

"I'm glad you like it."

The rest of Christmas involved Alex splitting her time between the Weasleys, Harry, Kurama, Yusuke and Kuwabara and Draco and Hiei. It made for a rather frustrating afternoon. The twins spent their time with her dragging her out of Draco's sight in a cruel game of hide-and-seek and they had bewitched snowballs to fly at Draco when he got too close to their hiding place. In an odd way, Alex was having a lot of fun. Draco would get really angry as the three of them would run off laughing and find another place on the grounds to hide.

At dinner Alex sat with Draco, Hiei, Maria, Pansy and the other Slytherin's who had stayed behind for the holidays. The Gryffindor's had taken some food up to Hermione. For Alex though, it was rather uncomfortable, many eyes were staring at her as though she had grown an extra limb, and Draco was trying his best to shield her from it. The night passed easily enough and Alex made her way to Gryffindor tower. By the Fat Lady's portrait stood Hiei. "Can I help you with something Hiei?"

He looked at her. "You've done well with Malfoy. He's not the same arrogant jerk that had been around our first year."

"I hope you didn't come all the way up here to tell me that?" She asked with a yawn. He smirked.

"No, I also came up to tell you that I found this." He handed her a small worn out black book. "It was in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. I was patrolling the corridors on Dumbledore's orders-"

"So that's why your out in the middle of the night." She said, pulling her gaze from the book to Hiei.

"Yes." And that was that. "I thought you might want to try and figure out what it is. I don't have the time for such trivialities."

She opened it up; it was completely blank. But she did notice that there were preprinted dates in the corners of each page. "It's a diary. That much I can see." She looked back at Hiei "Well thank you for giving this to me. Now I'm going to bed. Goodnight." He left her at the portrait. _He's so odd and so is this diary, I'll look at it more in the morning._ She thought and then stepped through the portrait hole.

* * *

Over the next several weeks Alex spent her time looking at the diary. The only other thing she could find out about it was that it belonged to a Tom Marvolo Riddle. It was no wizard name she had ever heard, so Alex figured he was Muggleborn.

It also seemed that the students were becoming more relaxed. The attacks appeared to have stopped and the news that the Mandrakes were almost ready to chop and stew to revive the Petrified. No one could say exactly why the attacks had stopped but Gilderoy Lockhart seemed to think that he was the reason the attacks had stopped. Although the Professors never let their guard down, he was the one who did.

"Who ever was attacking those poor students must've realized that I was getting closer to finding out who they were and where they were hiding." Lockhart said to Professor McGonagall one day while the Gryffindor's were lining up for Transfiguration class. "It's just too bad that every one isn't enjoying this attack free time! Why, I know just the thing!" And he scampered off looking very excited. Alex didn't have a good feeling about it.

Hermione had finally left the Hospital wing, fur free, by mid-February. She had been keeping up on all her assignments, having Kurama and Alex bring her the homework for each class.

"It's good to have you back Hermione." Kurama said on the morning of Valentine's day. They were all on their way to the Great Hall. There was a bustle of noise from inside. When they stepped inside, Alex's bad feeling about Lockhart's idea had come to fruition. The walls were covered in pink drapes, and pink, white, and red roses lined the middles of the tables. Pink confetti sprinkled from the enchanted ceiling.

"Holy Hell." Yusuke whispered as they sat down at the Gryffindor table. At the staff table Lockhart was trying to get the students attention.

"Everyone! Happy Valentine's Day! And thank you to the forty-six valentine's I have received-"

"You werent' one of those forty-six were you Hermione?" Yusuke muttered. She looked at her plate and blushed but didn't say anything.

"Now I have a very special treat. I have several cupids flying around and will be handing out Valentine's. Now enjoy your day!" Alex felt she wouldn't be enjoying it as much as he was.

At dinner, the group figured out how many valentine's each had received. Kurama had received the most from the female populace. Alex had received her fair share as well, including one from Draco who had delivered his in person and in the form of a dozen dark purple oriental lilies; her favorite flower, and also one from the Weasley twins which was a box of chocolates they assured her were harmless; she dared not to eat them. Harry had received one from Ginny, but only after an embarrassing incident involving one of Lockhart's cupids singing the valentine poem to him.

That night, Alex decided to play a little more with Riddle's diary, Harry was with her. He was as curious about Tom Riddle as she was. They sat, Alex casting revealing spells on it none of which worked. Sitting there, she decided to try writing in it. Alex grabbed her quill and ink and began writing. **_My name is Alexandria Denton_**. And to her surprise the ink _disappeared _into the diary. She looked at Harry who was at a loss for words. And to surprise her even more, words appeared on the page right where hers had been.

_**Hello Alexandria, my name is Tom Riddle**._ Something else that Alex had learned about the diary is that it existed 50 years ago, right at the time of the original attacks, and that Tom Riddle had earned a special reward for services to the school.

_**Can you tell me anything about the attacks that happened when you were here at Hogwarts? They are happening again**._ The ink disappeared and Tom wrote back.

_**I can do better than that. I can show you my capture of the student who was expelled for them**._ Alex was about to write back on how he could do that, but her words failed her as she and Harry were sucked into the diary.

* * *

Alex felt pressure on her chest and stomach and opened her eyes. The world around them was black and white. The pressure she felt was Harry lying on her. He woke up and muttered an apology and got off her, and helped her to her feet. She looked around. They were standing on a flight of stairs, and a few steps above them was, who Alex assumed to be, Tom Riddle. He was looking to the top of the stairs where someone with a stretcher was coming down the stairs, in it was a limp, lifeless body. They walked right past Harry and Alex without a glance. "They must not be able to see us." Harry said. She nodded in agreement.

"Tom?" They looked up and saw a younger looking Dumbledore. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see if the rumors were true, sir." Dumbledore nodded grimly.

"I'm afraid so Tom."

"So the school will be closing?"

"It will be for the best. A student has died Tom, parents will not want there to be anymore harm for their children."

"But if the attacks stopped, then the school would be able to stay open?" Dumbledore gave Riddle the same look he had given Alex and Harry when they had been in his office after the second attack.

"Is there something you wish to tell me Tom?" Riddle looked as though he might say something, and then shook his head.

"No, sir, nothing." Dumbledore stared at him a little longer.

"All right then. Off to bed Tom." Dumbledore turned to walk away.

"Yes sir." Then Riddle swept past them down the stairs into the third floor corridor. Harry and Alex followed him down the hall, around corners and down further halls. Riddle seemed to know exactly where to go. After several minutes they reached a wooden door that seemed to be a broom closet. Riddle pulled out his wand and opened the door. Inside was a large figure with a wooden box. He was talking to something that was in the box. "Hello Hagrid." Alex stifled a gasp. Hagrid seemed shocked too, he turned and looked at Riddle.

"Tom!" He spluttered. "It's not what yeh think. Aragog couldn't have done it!"

"I'm sorry Hagrid, but something has been attacking the students and one has died tonight. You have an odd obsession with dangerous creatures. Who else could it have been?"

"No! It wasn't him! he couldn' have!" Suddenly something hissed and clambered out of the box. It was the size of a medium dog and it skirted past Riddle into the hall and out a window.

"Aragog! Come back!" Hagrid tried to chase after it, but Riddle stood in his way.

"Sorry Hagrid but I'm going to have to turn you in." He didn't sound very sorry. The image began to swirl and spin.

* * *

Harry and Alex were flung out of the diary into the dark common room. Kurama, Yusuke, Ron and Hermione were standing above them. "It was Hagrid!" Harry whispered. Alex was shocked by what she had seen. "Hagrid opened the Chamber fifty years ago!"


	7. Inside Slytheirn and Another Petrifying

So here's the next chapter. It's almost done! As you may have noticed, it's really short... I'm not a big fan of the second book. But I promise that Year 3 and beyond will be the most exciting, because that's where things really start developing, such as Alex's past. Yay! Alright so here we go!

* * *

"I know that Hagrid likes dangerous creatures, but really? Setting one loose on the school?" Kuwabara said in a hushed tone the next morning after Harry and Alex had described what had happened with the diary. It was now sitting at the bottom of Alex's trunk. "Isn't Hagrid a half-breed anyway? Why would he want to set loose a monster that petrifies and kills Muggleborns?" These were all the same questions that they had been wondering about the night before.

Alex spotted Hiei and Draco enter the Great Hall; Hiei looked tired.

"'Scuse me just a second." Alex got up from the table and walked over to them, her school robes trailing behind her

"Morning Alex," Draco said. She nodded to him.

"Hiei." He looked at her with his tired eyes. "Did you know what that diary really was?" She asked in all seriousness. He suddenly looked alert.

"You're not hurt are you?" She sighed inwardly.

"It doesn't harm people... at least I don't think so, not the diary." She watched his muscles relax. She could feel Draco's curious gaze on them, probably wondering what could cause Hiei to be so protective of her. _Because if something happens to me, he goes to the demon form of a jail, which isn't pleasant, or so I'm told_. _It sucks to be the adopted sister of the young prince of Spirit World._ She thought.

"Than what does it do?" She breathed a little easier. So he didn't know what it was. Which meant that he if he had, he probably would never have given it to her.

_**Not in front of Draco. He doesn't need to know yet. But it showed us who may have opened the Chamber fifty years ago**._ She spoke telepathically, while saying aloud, "You can have a conversation with it. Someone must've placed some sort of spell on it."

**_It _showed_ you? As in a memory? Isn't that Dark magic?_** Hiei's words hit her like bricks. Of course, it was Dark magic. Perhaps this Tom Riddle wasn't such a Saint after all. But she would keep that to herself for now. But they still needed to speak with Hagrid about his side of the story. "We're going to visit Hagrid later this evening. I know you like to know where I am, so that's why I'm telling you." She said, filling in the silence so that Draco wouldn't get suspicious. Her words were actually saying for him to go with them that evening. They weren't really going to visit Hagrid, they really weren't sure how to bring up that kind of topic, so Kurama, Yusuke and Kuwabara decided to let off some steam in their training circle.

"Thanks." He muttered, a a small flush showing on his cheeks. She turned to look at Draco, her first sign of acknowledging his presence.

"Draco, I wanted to thank you for the flowers on Valentine's day. They're still quite beautiful. Did you put some sort of spell on them?" He smiled. She knew he loved it when he was complemented, it was the Malfoy in him.

"Actually yea, I did. They'll be that way for quite awhile." He said proudly. Alex turned back to the Gryffindor table. The others were now pouring over the timetables they were suppose to fill out for next year. She sat down next to Harry and looked over his shoulder.

"Divination? Really?" She looked at her own timetable. "I guess it couldn't hurt." She smiled at him as he watched her write it on the parchment. He looked at her new schedule.

"You're taking Care of Magical Creatures too?"

She double checked her schedule and placed it in her bag. "Well yea, I mean it sounds loads more interesting then the other classes we could choose from." She glanced at Hermione, who had decided to just sign up for all the classes. "Though I don't why I would want more than two electives, and if either one doesn't pan out, I can always take another class, right? And I still don't know what I want to do with my future."

* * *

Harry and Alex were on their way up to the Gryffindor common room after their Quidditch practice. Wood was holding practice almost every night for their up coming match against Hufflepuff. They had barely made it to the sixth floor when Neville came running down the stairs. He stopped in front of them, panting.

Alex titled her head to the side, giving the plump boy a quizzical look. "What's wrong Neville?"

He took a moment and managed to say, "Alex, Hermione sent me to get you- there's something wrong in your dormitory." Panic struck her heart. What if someone had found her swords, or worse yet-

Alex flung herself up the remaining steps to the seventh floor and down the corridor. At the Fat Lady she almost yelled the password, earning herself a glare from the Lady as she swung open. Alex nearly glided inside, ignoring the stares from the others around her and climbed the stairs to the girl's dormitory. Hermione was already there, trying to clean things up as best she could. Scattered across the floor were all of her things from her trunk. Books were torn apart, parchments and her clothes hung from the rafters and other beds, ink was smeared across the floor."Alex!" Hermione cried when she saw her. "I tried, but well-"

"The diary, is it here?" It was the only thing on her mind. If the diary was gone-

"I don't know, I haven't been able to search for it. All your demon things are still hidden away-"

"I don't care about that Hermione!" Alex flung up her arms. _Why doesn't anyone understand the gravity of the situation? That diary is Dark magic._ Alex took a deep breath, and calmed herself. Now wasn't the time to be in hysterics, even though she desperately wanted to be in that state right now. Alex pulled out her wand from her sleeve and waved it. All her things lifted off the floor and out of Hermione's arms, books repaired themselves and the ink returned to its jars. Clothes folded themselves and everything tucked itself neatly back into her trunk. When everything was cleaned up, Alex returned her wand to her sleeve. Hermione stared at her.

"I see you've been practicing." She said, looking a little jealous at the display of magic she had just witnessed. Alex couldn't help but feel happy about besting Hermione at magic for once. They made their way downstairs back into the common room. Alex noticed that everyone was trying to not look at her. Harry and Neville had made their way to the common room, Ron was standing with them, along with Kurama and Yusuke.

"Is everything alright, Alex?" Alex glanced at the floor and back at Harry.

**_The diary is gone Harry. Someone took it._** She spoke in his mind. It was probably the first time she had done that to him, so she wasn't surprised to see the startled look on his face. "Everything is fine Harry, nothing was taken." She said, more loudly than necessary but it got the prying eyes away from them. "I'm going to go get cleaned up." Then she left the common room to be in her own thoughts, or so she thought. Alex knew Hiei would want to know about what had happened.

**_Hiei._**

**_What?_**

**_The diary-_**

**_What about it?_** He didn't sound pleased about being disturbed. She sometimes wondered what he did in his free time.

**_It's been stolen. By a _**Gryffindor_**. **_She had to stress that point. No one else knew the password or had the ability to sneak into the Tower without notice. **_Hiei I'm worried. That diary is Dark Magic._** She waited a bit for a reply. Some sort of outrage from him. But nothing came. **_Hiei?_** Nothing. She got worried and she left the dormitory and made her way to the dungeons. She had to be careful, since it was after curfew but she had to find out what had happened to Hiei. Thanks to her trip into the Slytherin House earlier in the year with Harry and Ron, she knew exactly where it was. Her heart pounded like a drum in her chest.

"Hiei?" She called out in a whisper. A shadow eclipsed her. She looked up and was nearly nose to nose with Draco. "Merlin!" She cried. "Draco, what are you doing here?" She asked after she managed to calm herself. He looked at her with an odd expression.

"I could ask you the same thing." He had straightened up to allow Alex to stand fully. He crossed his arms across his chest. Alex noted that he looked very much like Hiei or Kurama when she was being reprimanded by them. She also noted that she and Draco stood face to face. It was stark contrast to the height that Yusuke, Kuzuma and Kurama had over her and the height she had over Hiei. "So are you going to tell me why you're here, or should I be a jerk and go get Professor Snape and get you in trouble for being out late?"

She let a smile creep over her face. "And get yourself in trouble in the process? Because, as I see it, you are also out late. So I'll answer your question with a question: Why are you out so late?"

Draco blanched but regained his composure. _He shouldn't have lost his cool in the first place, if he was a proper Malfoy_. She smiled inwardly. "I was on my way back from Slytherin Quidditch practice." It was then that she noticed that he held his broom and had his practice robes on. "And once again back to you; what-"

"I was looking for Hiei." She said roughly, she didn't want to hear the question again.

**_Alex?_** A familiar voice sounded in her head, but it wasn't Hiei's.

**_Harry?_** She called hesitantly. He learned quickly, she was sure of that.

**_Good, I got it!_** He sounded rather proud of himself. She would be too, for one who didn't naturally have the gift of telepathy, it would be rather difficult to learn. **_Anyway, have you seen Hermione? She disappeared after I heard that voice again, and she ran off muttering something about going to the Library. We were looking for you and ran into Hiei, he was on his way to meet you in the Tower, and Hermione dragged him with her._** If he had been talking, the boy would probably have been winded and speaking breathlessly. Alex eased the muscles in her body that had been tensing. At least they were both safe. And she could safely return to the Tower.

"Alex? Are you listening?" Draco was practically waving his hands to get her attention. _I need to get better at splitting my attention between mind chatter and this annoyance._

_**I'll be back soon Harry. Tell the others not to worry alright?**_

_**Sure.**_

"I'm sorry Draco, what were you saying?" He sighed, his body was more relaxed than she remembered it being when they first met on the Hogwarts Express, something that made him more childlike, rather than the stuck up snob he liked to play.

"Would you like to come to the Common room? There's something that I'd like to show you that I think you would like." Alex thought her heart had stopped for a moment.

"But, I'm not-"

"Allowed." He sighed again, but with a more exasperated tone to it. "That's a load of rubbish if you ask me. At least in your case." He flashed her a smile. "You have me and Hiei to defend you from the others. Along with Crabbe and Goyle... and Maria."

Now it was her turn to fold her arms over her chest and give a ridiculous look. "Crabbe and Goyle? Maria I understand but-"

"They do what I tell them to. Are you coming or not? It won't take long." He was already making his way to the end of the corridor. She dropped her head and followed, this could not end well.

* * *

Alex followed Draco into the circular room. She did her best to look bewildered and awed by it's grace and beauty. Some of it was real, and some was fake. Alex had seen it all before, but she wasn't about to reveal who she was to Draco, not yet, she told herself.

Maria was sitting on one of the divans. She looked up as they walked in and the scowl she had on her face turned into a smile. She stood and walked over to them, hugging Alex while she was there.

"_Finally_." She spoke, her voice was quite gentle for a Slytherin, where most of the girls had harsh voices. "You've been saying you were going to bring her in here for _ages_. I thought I was going to have to do it myself." Alex had to smile. She wasn't expecting a welcome like that.

"Thanks Maria." She spoke softly. "That means a lot to me."

Maria flashed her smile at Alex, and lowered her voice so that Draco couldn't hear, "Well, he's been talking about it for weeks. Normally we're not allowed to bring people from other Houses, but we've seen the older students do so," Alex could hear the hinting implications in Maria's voice. Alex nodded in understanding. "Granted, we can't tell you the passwords, but bringing you here while with one of us is within our power. I'm sure you've seen Gryffindor's bring in people from other Houses?" Alex nodded again, her thoughts drifted back to the lost diary. _Even still, it wouldn't be possible for someone to have taken the diary that was outside our own House, unless they were brought in. But the mild damage done to my things could only have been done by one person_.

"Where'd Draco go?" She asked as Maria dragged her over to an empty couch by the fire. Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle were all sitting in chairs nearby. Pansy never looked pleased when Draco was giving her attention. _Jealous_. Alex thought mildly.

"He said he had something to give you." Alex was mildly curious. She had already received a beautiful bouquet of magical flowers from him, what more could he give her? Then, as she sat there having Maria chat in her ear, she realized something. _He's trying to woo me! With gifts! _Her hand automatically went to the necklaces at her neck. _Is it possible for him to be my secret admirer? _She could think no further on the matter because Draco came out holding something wrapped in cloth.

"Here," He handed it to her. It was quite heavy. "My mother thought you might enjoy reading this." Alex sighed a metal sigh of relief. _It was from his mother, not from him_. She unfolded the silken cloth and revealed a book wrapped in leather. It looked old, even ancient. Alex carefully opened the pages. She felt the eyes of the other Slytherins watching her, it was rather unnerving. There were many pictures in it, many of family trees of wizarding families. The words that followed the trees told the stories of each family.

"Draco," said Alex. There were almost no words to describe her gratitude. "I will have to thank your mother for such a wonderful gift." She saw Draco whisper in Goyle's ear and Goyle got up and left. The others took the hint and also departed to their dormitories. She swallowed hard, now she and Draco were alone in the common room.

"Mother would love it if, in return, you would come and stay with us for a short time during the summer." It wasn't really a question. She looked him in the eyes, it wasn't just his mother who wanted her to come visit. But she didn't like the idea of being around his father, Lucius Malfoy, there was something about that man that made her stomach queasy. Draco's eyes were practically pleading the words that his pureblood trained mouth could not form. Alex sighed and smiled.

"If it will please you and your mother, then I would be honored to come and stay for a time." She replied. A smile formed on the boy's face. _Perhaps it will be a good time for me to tell him about my being a demon. I will have to tell him at some point, so why not in a place he finds comforting._ The clock on the wall struck. She looked at it, it was midnight. She stood clutching the book to her chest. "I really need to go Draco, I've got my match in the morning!"

He walked her to the entrance of the House. "Thanks for coming Alex, you're welcome here anytime." She smiled.

"Thanks Draco." She left and carefully made her way back to the Gryffindor Tower. Once in her dormitory she saw that Hermione's hangings were pulled shut. _At least she made it back safely. _And Alex fell into a deep sleep, all the while still clutching the book Draco had given her.

* * *

Alex wolfed down a breakfast. She was running late and need to get to the pitch quickly. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, without attracting attention to her speed, and made it to the pitch just in time to meet the rest of the team getting ready to head into the locker rooms.

"Cutting it a little close aren't you?" George whispered to her as they sat on the benches and Wood began his speech. "What, was you're pony tail crooked?" She glared at him.

"No, I slept in. I had a late night." Alex muttered angrily. It was a short speech by Wood, and the team made their way out onto the Quidditch pitch. But before they could mount their brooms, Professor McGonagall stepped onto the pitch with a giant megaphone.

"I need all students to return to their dormitories immediately. The match has been canceled. Prefects please make sure that everyone returns in an orderly fashion." She pulled the megaphone away from her mouth and turned to the players. "Potter, Denton, I think you should come with me."

**_Kurama, Yusuke, Kazuma, get down here now!_** Alex didn't like the inflection in McGonagall's voice. The boys were walking up to them moments later, Ron jogging along behind them. McGonagall eyed Alex, and then said, "Yes, perhaps it's best if you all come with as well." She led them up to the castle and up the stairs to the Hospital Wing. Alex was not prepared for the sight that came before her eyes. In two beds next to each other were Hiei and Hermione. Hiei was frozen in a very defensive pose, more than likely getting ready to attack whatever had petrified them. Alex found herself shaking. She was scared. If Hiei was attacked then that did not bode well for what could happen to her or even anyone else. Hiei was suppose to have been protecting her. Now who did she have? She felt a hand gently grip her own. She glanced over to see that it was Yusuke.

"At least he tried to protect Hermione." Was all that he could muster. Yusuke looked up to Hiei, and now here he was, lying on a bed like stone. Alex looked at Hermione. She looked terrified.

_At least she was smart enough to drag Hiei with her._

"Can any of you tell me why they might have had this with them? Miss Granger was holding it when they were found." McGonagall held up a pocket mirror. They all shook their heads. "Very well, I will escort you back to Gryffindor Tower. I need to address the rest of the students anyways." She led the group back up to the common room. It was packed with Gryffindors muttering to each other, curious as to what happened. "No student is to leave the Tower after six o'clock. All evening activities are hear-by postponed. Teachers will be escorting students from class to class, and to any other place you may have to get to. You will not leave any place without an escort." She sighed and looked at the students with a very grim face. "I've never been so distressed, if the culprit is not found, I'm afraid Hogwarts will be closing forever." She added in a very distressed voice. She departed the common room and the room burst into rumors and speculation.

Alex stayed in a shadowed corner of the room, she had her knees under her chin and her arms folded over her knees. She felt strangely numb to everything around her. Her last bit of protection was lying in the Hospital Wing. _Of course Yusuke and the others are strong, but Hiei- he's like the brother I need looking after me. The shadow following me. _Her mind felt unstable without his voice lingering in her head.

"Alex?" She jumped, startled by the voice, and looked up to see one of the Weasley twins looking at her. Her mind couldn't focus enough to distinguish which one it was. He sat down next to her. "Are you okay?" It was odd, hearing a Weasley twin sound so _serious_, normally they would be making jokes to lighten the mood and make people feel better. She managed a weak smile.

"I could ask you the same thing." Her voice sounded small and meek. He smiled.

"I'm fine. George is entertaining the first years, so that they stay out of a panic." So it was Fred she was talking to, they never lied to her, knowing that she would find out the truth. "Yea, I know, I'm a little out of my element here, so work with me, alright?" She managed a laugh. His face lit up. "There's the Alex we know." The smile on his face faded. "Look, I'm just gonna tell it to you straight, so I can get back to being a normal, prank-playing wizard," Alex forced another smile onto her face. "Hiei may be lying in the Hospital Wing, but you have your own strength. Isn't this the kind of thing you've been training for?" Alex did her best to avoid his gaze, but she couldn't help but put them back on his eyes. There was something about the twins that made them irresistible to watch, perhaps that's why they did so well in attracting audiences for their experiments and presentations.

"Maybe it is, but I feel," She searched for the right word to describe how she felt. "Empty." She settled on that, it was closest to how she felt. "Ever since I met Hiei almost two years ago, it's like he's been connected to me. I don't think it's just because we're both... demons," She whispered the word. "And ever since then, I haven't done much that he hasn't been there for, or seen through my eyes, thanks to his third eye. Because of his petrifaction, there's a hollow spot in my mind where his presence would linger. And strangely enough, I miss it."

Fred was unable to reply to that. Instead, he pulled out something from his pocket and moved his hands about in odd gestures, like he was folding something very small, Alex watched him in mild fascination and curiosity. She had watched the twins in work before, but she had never seen this. After he was done, he pulled out his wand and waved it. "Hold out your hand." She did so, it was still shaking fairly badly. He grabbed her hand to help steady it. In her palm he placed a small paper creature. It was a fox and it was moving. "It's yours. You said that you were a fox demon, right? Well, I know it won't help repair the empty spot in your mind, but it might help take _your_ mind off of the missing piece. At least until Hiei comes back." She smiled at him.

"Thank you Fred. It means a lot." He let go of her hand, and already it was a lot steadier.

"Alex?" She tore her gaze away from the paper fox to look up and see Harry and Ron looking down at her.

"Excellent! I'm free!" Fred exclaimed, as though it was her fault for him being so serious. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth but she held as firm as she could. He quickly left them to join his brother in showing off chocolate frogs that turned into real ones.

Alex sat straighter, her mind feeling clearer. "What's up guys?"

"We were thinking," Ron started. "That it might be time to finally go visit Hagrid." Alex nodded.

"I think it's time to get out my dad's old cloak."

* * *

Harry's dad had owned an Invisibility cloak and Harry had received it as a Christmas gift from Dumbledore last year. Harry sat on it most of the evening while they waited for the rest of the Gryffindors to go to bed and only when they were sure that no one would come back down the stars did Harry pull it out.

It wasn't a pleasant trip down the corridors late at night. It was more crowded than ever with teachers, ghosts and prefects patrolling them. Alex transfigured herself into a small fox to make it easier for Harry and Ron to maneuver around the extra patrols. They slipped out the into the cool night. Everything was eerily silent as Harry and Ron ran as best as they could across the grounds to Hagrid's hut.

Alex transformed back into her normal self and knocked lightly on the door. What greeted them was the booming bark of Fang, Hagrid's boar hound and Hagrid yelling, "Back Fang! Back!" The door swung open and Alex was met with a crossbow.

"Hagrid!" She didn't know what else to say, the only other weapons she had ever had pointed in her face was a sword and wand. He pulled the crossbow back.

"Oh, it's you." Then he seemed to truly realize who was standing at his doorstep. "Come in. Come in." They sat in chairs placed around the room and Hagrid poured them some tea. Alex knew something was wrong when he let her cup overflow.

"Hagrid? Is everything alright?"

"Wha-? Oh, yea everthin's fine."

"Did you hear what happened to Hermione and Hiei?" Harry asked, not taking the fruitcake Hagrid had placed in front of him.

"Oh, yea, that, yea I heard abou' it." There was a slight break in his voice. He was placing more fruitcake on a plate when there was a knock on the door. Hagrid dropped the plate, panic was on his face. Alex transformed and jumped on Ron's shoulder as Harry threw the Invisibility cloak over their heads. Once Hagrid was sure they were covered he opened the door. "Oh, hello Professor," There was a long pause in Hagrid's greeting. "Hello Minister." Alex flicked her ears. _The Minister of Magic is here? This cannot end well._ Dumbledore walked in looking extremely more grave and serious than Alex had ever seen him. behind him entered a shorter man with gray hair and he wore a rather anxious expression.

"That's Dad's boss," Ron hissed. "Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic!" Harry elbowed Ron to shut him up.

"Bad business Hagrid, very bad business." said Fudge in what he probably thought was a miserable tone. "Five attacks on Muggleborns. The Ministry's got to act."

Hagrid paled and was very sweaty. "I never," He finally managed. "You know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir-"

"Hagrid has my full confidence. I don't believe that he attacked those students in the past, and I don't believe he has done so now," Dumbledore said in his quiet commanding tone. Fudge's mouth twitched.

"Look, Hagrid's record is against him," Fudge said, uncomfortably.

"I am telling you Cornelius, taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest." Hagrid paled even further.

"Take me away?" He spoke as meekly as a giant man could manage. "Not Azkaban." Alex felt herself shiver, she had heard of Azkaban. She felt Ron stiffen under her, she nudged his face in reassurance.

Before Fudge could reply, there was another knock at the door. Dumbledore answered it. Alex nearly fell off Ron's shoulder. Lucius Malfoy stepped into Hagrid's hut wearing a black traveling cloak and wearing an ever more noticeable cold and satisfied smile. "Already here Fudge, good, good..."

"What're you doin' here?" Hagrid growled, seemingly regaining his lost strength. "Get outta my house!"

"Please, you think I enjoying coming out to your- er- you call this a house?" sneered Lucius, as he looked around the small cabin. "I was simply told that the headmaster was here."

"What can I do for you at this time of evening Lucius?" Dumbledore spoke politely, but there was a burning fire in his blue eyes.

"The governors feel that these attacks simply do not look good." Lucius pulled out a rolled up parchment and handed it to Dumbledore. "These are the signatures of all twelve governors for an Order of Suspension." Dumbledore looked it over.

"Well, if the governors wish for my removal then I shall step aside."

"Professor! Yeh can't! If yeh leave there'll be killin' next!" Hagrid exclaimed.

"Calm yourself Hagrid." Dumbledore said sharply. Dumbledore had not taken his eyes off Lucius Malfoy's cold gray ones. "However," He said slowly, so that no one missed a single word. "I will only _truly_ have left this school when there are none loyal to me. You will also find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it." Alex was sure that his eyes flickered to where they stood, hidden under the cloak.

"Admirable sentiments," Malfoy said, nodding his head, and he led the way out of the cabin. Dumbledore followed. Fudge waited for Hagrid to go ahead of him.

Hagrid stood his ground for a moment and said, "If anyone wanted ter find out some stuff, all they'd have teh do would be teh follow the spiders. That'd lead 'em straight. That's all I'm sayin'." Fudge stared in stunned silence. "Oh, an' someone'll need teh feed Fang while I'm away." And with that he led the way out the door, and Fudge followed and shut the door behind him.

Once the door was shut, Ron pulled the cloak off them and Alex changed back. "There'll be an attack a day with Dumbledore gone." He muttered. Alex sighed, looking at the door, nothing was ever easy for them was it?


	8. Aragog and the Deceiving Lockhart

Hey all. So we're down to the last chapters of Year 2. The next one will be the last! You may notice that Draco is a little out of character. I've been watching **_A Very Potter Musical_** which is partly to blame... anyway, you'll also notice several POV changes. I'm excited for Years 3 and beyond. I've already started on Year 3 and I like it so far! Anyway, here's the next chapter!

* * *

Alex felt even more numb now that Dumbledore was gone than she had at the time of Hiei's petrification. What made things worse was that Madam Pomfrey wouldn't allow them to visit Hiei or Hermione. The corridors were unnaturally quiet, very few people laughed these days. Now that Dumbledore was gone, people feared attacks far more than before.

Alex had decided to confront Draco about his father's visit one day only a week after the headmaster's departure. She waited outside the entrance to the Slytherin House. Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode were the first people she saw making her way to the concealed door. Once Pansy saw who was standing there, she gave a little sneer. "What do you want?"

Alex's eyes narrowed in a very threatening manner, instantly wiping the sneer off Pansy's face. Other students had noticed her withdrawal from others. Alex's hair had turned an unnaturally deep black and her eyes also black. She had been quiet in classes, McGonagall had tried speaking to her, along with Kurama and Yusuke, but to no avail.

"What do you think I want Parkinson?" She growled. She saw the fear in the other girls' eyes. Normally, Alex would have calmed herself and would have asked again in a gentler tone, but she didn't care anymore.

"Right, Draco's inside." Pansy muttered the password and the wall disappeared. "Come on." Alex followed the two terrified girls inside. Other Slytherin's were already inside, since there weren't many places they could go by themselves. Once they saw Alex they seemed to scatter like frightened mice. She managed a small smirk. A few moment's later Draco came up the stairs from his dormitory. He smiled at her. He was one of the few people who wasn't terrified of her.

* * *

"To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"You're Father was the one who got rid of Dumbledore." She got right to the point, her voice was low and threatening. Draco had never heard it like that. It was wild and animal-like in sound. "So did he have to threaten the governors or bribe them?" Draco felt his eyes widened, how did she know that his father had been on the grounds.

"How dare you-"

"How dare I!" She seemed to grow larger in stature as she got more angry. Draco's body was shaking. He had never seen her this mad. "Hiei is lying in a bed, completely helpless, and your _father_ got rid of the one man who could stop all this!" He saw that her body was shaking with anger. He had noticed her behavior change after Hiei's petrification, and Draco had thought it a little strange. But he had remembered how fiercely Hiei had protected Alex in their first year from him.

Suddenly, Alex broke down, collapsing to her knees and huge sobs escaped her lips. Draco was unsure of what to do, he had never been in a situation like this. So he did the only thing he thought would be alright. He fell to the floor next to her and wrapped his arms around her.

* * *

Alex felt cold arms wrap around her shoulders. She stiffened at the sudden contact. then relaxed again. She didn't want to cry but she hadn't been able to stop the first sob that escaped her mouth. The next ones were easier. There was a murmur in her ear. "You're right," The voice said, soft and soothing, unlike it's normal smug sound. "My Father was the one who got rid of Dumbledore. But it wasn't as though _I_ could do anything to stop him. My Father is formidable, and powerful." Draco pulled his arms away from her. "But so is Dumbledore. I hate to admit it, but I don't think he would have left the school completely unprotected." Alex nodded.

"Yes, I- I know that." She looked him in the eyes. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. None of this was your fault." Draco stood and helped her off the floor. He shrugged.

"Maybe next time you'll think with a level head rather than walking in here like a complete idiot." Her eyes narrowed at him.

"Don't call me an idiot you git." He smiled playfully at her.

"You should go before someone thinks to give you detention." She nodded, but he didn't know was that she had allies in the halls, allowing her to roam them at night.

* * *

Alex had barely made it to the fourth floor, on her way back from the dungeons, when someone called her name.

"Alex!" She turned to see Kuwabara climbing the steps after her. She smiled.

"Hello Kazuma. Where are you patrolling this evening?" She asked as he caught up to her. She liked Kazuma because he was so fiercely protective of his friends, and because he always knew how to cheer her up.

"I just got finished down on the second floor," She saw him shudder out of the corner of her eye. "I'm on my way to switch with Kurama. Where were you?" He gave her a curious look. She hadn't told anyone about her visits to the dungeons. But she knew she could trust Kazuma to keep it a secret.

"I was confronting Draco about his father getting Dumbledore out of the school." She looked down at her feet as they stepped onto the seventh floor. "And I kinda blew up at him. I just feel so helpless." She felt an arm reach around her shoulders. She smiled at Kazuma.

"There's only so much we can do. It was Hiei's fault for getting petrified, not yours. He just likes being a hotshot." Alex stifled a laugh. "But just think, in a few weeks the Mandrake's will be ready and then those who are petrified can tell us who did it."

"Or what did it."

"And I think we can leave Hiei petrified a little longer, say, until we get out of here." She sighed and laughed. They reached the Fat Lady's portrait and Kurama was waiting outside.

"Good evening Alex. What were you up to?" He asked walking towards them. Kazuma dropped his arm from her shoulders. He was going to say something but Alex beat him to it.

"I was keeping Kazuma company while he patrolled. The common room has been so stifling as of late. I just needed to get out for awhile." He eyed her suspiciously.

"It's true Kurama. You know how bored I get." Kazuma chimed in. Alex smiled at him, thanking him with her eyes. Kurama seemed willing to let the issue drop.

"Alright. Well, good night Alex, I'll see you at breakfast. Kuwabara, why don't I walk you back to your House?" He asked politely, but Alex knew he would try and carefully pry information from Kazuma.

"Sure, why not?" Kazuma turned and winked at Alex as they departed the corridor. Before Alex was about to step through the portrait hole, she spotted something at the nearby window. She walked over to get a closer look and saw a line of tiny black spiders making their way down the side of the school. Alex did her best to follow the direction and it looked like they were heading into the Forbidden Forest. She had a sudden thought and like a flash of lightning flew through the portrait hole.

* * *

Harry was working with Ron on Potions homework. Despite all that was going on, they still had to study for exams. Without Hermione, and Kurama on patrols, Alex was the only one able to help them, but she wasn't in the Tower at the moment, and Ron was struggling. Harry didn't want to admit it, but he was too. Harry glanced over by the fire where Yusuke was making bets with the twins about what Hermione and Hiei would do or say when they were awakened. Yusuke was betting that Hermione would be horribly upset that exams would be over and Hiei would wake up and try swinging his sword around, but then find that it wasn't there. It was actually quite an amusing sight to think about. Harry was about to measure his Potions essay, when Alex came flying through the entrance. There was a wild look in her eyes, one that hadn't been seen since their last Quidditch match. She spotted Harry and Ron and walked quickly over to them.

"Spiders." Was all she said, as though they would understand.

"What?" Came the reply of both himself and Ron. Ron actually paled a little.

"_The spiders!_" She hissed. "The spiders that Hagrid told us to follow. They're heading for the Forbidden Forest. We need to follow them. Tonight." She said anxiously. Harry ran the thought through his head. Yes, Hagrid had told them to follow the spiders, but where were they heading in the forest itself?

"Is it even safe to go ourselves?" Ron asked, his voice withdrawn. Alex glanced around. The twins had finally departed to bed, and Yusuke was the only other person in the common room. She smiled.

"We'll take Yusuke with us." His head perked up at the sound of his name.

"Take me where?" He asked suspiciously.

"Alex wants us to go into the forest." Harry said. It was sounding more and more like a plan. It was the only lead they had, and they should run with it. Yusuke's face lit up.

"Awesome! When do we go?" He was more eager than Harry thought he should be. Yusuke had been with them the last time they were in the forest, but Ron had not. And Ron looked pale at the prospect.

"Tonight." Alex said.

"I'll get my dad's cloak. And maybe we should take Fang with us, he's been in the forest before." Harry suggested. Alex just nodded, and with that Harry ran up to his dormitory and grabbed his dad's cloak, careful not to wake the other boys in the room. Even though Kurama was one of the people patrolling, it still wasn't a good idea for them to be spotted. He came downstairs to see Alex already in fox form, perched on Ron's shoulder.

_**Ready? Let's go.**_ Alex's voice echoed in his head. It was an unusual sensation, like there was more than one person occupying his mind. By looking at Ron's face, she had spoken to him to. Harry tossed the cloak over their heads and they carefully made their way to Hagrid's hut.

Once inside Hagrid's hut, Harry took the cloak off and Alex turned into a larger fox. "Why not you're normal form?" Ron questioned as Harry fed Fang.

_**I have a better nose in this form, and better eyes. I can keep a better lookout for the spiders this way.** **I don't want to linger any longer. Let's go.**_ Harry nodded and opened the door so that she and Fang could lead the way. With one last glance at the school Harry lit his wand with _Lumos_ and followed the others into the forest. They had been walking for nearly half an hour when Harry ran into Ron. He had frozen in place, as had Yusuke, Fang and Alex. "What's wrong?" He whispered.

"There's something out there." Yusuke muttered. His left hand was gripping his right wrist. Harry had learned what this meant, he was preparing his Spirit Gun. Alex growled mildly, and Yusuke took this as a signal to relax. Alex pointed her nose to a nearby tree. Lights blared on just as she did so.

"Harry!" Ron tugged as his robe sleeve. "It's the _car_!" And so it was. There were vines and branches practically growing off of it.

**_The forest has turned it wild. How interesting._** Alex turned her attention back to the trail they had been following and continued along it. The rest of them followed. The forest grew denser and more wild the deeper they went. Harry thought they must be getting close because there were more and more spiders appearing along the trail. They were getting bigger and bigger as well. Ron had begun to make strange whimpering noises the further they went. Harry knew he didn't like spiders but this was for Hermione and Hiei. Alex seamlessly changed back into her human form, but still retained her fox ears and tail.

Finally, they had reached a web covered cove of sorts. There was a human like opening at the end of the trail. Alex looked back and Harry nodded at her, silently telling her that they needed to continue on. _I know you'll protect us Alex. You have the strength to do so._ She led the way inside. Sitting on the web coverings, were thousands of spiders of all sizes some were the size of small pebbles, others reached the size of large boulders. Once the spiders saw them, there began a wild whir of hisses and clicks they all seemed to say one thing, "Aragog." Ron was shaking beside him and Harry nudged him to get him to stop. Alex took a different approach when he didn't and pulled him closer to her, rubbing his back as a mother would her child. His shaking seemed to calm.

The hisses quieted and an even larger spider appeared. This was Aragog, leader of the spiders, he was the size of a small house. "Who has disturbed my slumber?" His words came out in a breathless tone. Harry spoke up.

"We're friends of Hagrid's. He sent us." Aragog's many eyes looked at him.

"Hagrid?" He sounded shocked and surprised. "Hagrid has never sent other men into our forest."

"He's in trouble." Yusuke said, he sounded irritated. Alex shot him a look.

"There's something attacking the students up at the castle," said Alex, her voice was strong despite the danger they were in, "and they think that it's Hagrid, just like they did fifty years ago."

"Hagrid did not attack those students," said Aragog, he didn't seem pleased at this news. "Nor did I. Hagrid bought me from a traveler when I was just an egg, and hatched me inside the castle. I never saw anything outside the walls of the broom closet he kept me in." Harry was intruigued with the story. "I sensed the monster lurking about the castle; we spiders fear it above all else. It is an ancient creature that lives in the castle. I begged Hagrid to let me escape. But it wasn't until a girl was killed that they took him away. I escaped and Hagrid helped my find a place here in the forest and a wife." Harry's mind was racing.

"What was it that attacked the students?" He ventured. There was a multitude of hissing.

"We do not speak it's name!" Aragog said, clicking his pincers fiercely. "The body of the girl who died was found in a bathroom, I remember that." Harry noticed that the spiders were closing in on them. Yusuke was positioning himself closer to him and Ron, as was Alex.

"We'll just go then," Harry said. Aragog seemed to be tired of talking and was retreating into his web.

"Go?" said Aragog, slowly. "I think not. My children do not harm Hagrid on my command. But I cannot allow them to go hungry when food has so willingly walked into our home. Good-bye friends of Hagrid." And suddenly hundreds of spiders descended on them.

"_Spirit Gun!_" A blue light shot upward, and the spiders fled from the blinding light. Harry felt a hand grab his arm and drag him away from the fray. He could hear the footfalls of Ron and Yusuke behind him and Fang was somewhere ahead of them. Alex was the one pulling his arm. Harry heard a loud blaring note sound through the forest and the roar of a car engine.

Mr. Weasley's car thundered towards them, lights shining brightly and stop in front of them. The doors swung open and they clambered inside. Harry sat in the front seat with Ron. He glanced over at him. "Are you okay?" Ron was pale and all he did was stare straight ahead, unable to speak. The car practically flew through the forest and in less than ten minutes they were safely back outside the forest. The doors flew open and they all climbed out, shaky, but in one piece. They walked in silence back to Hagrid's hut and when they got there Fang flew inside and hid under a blanket, obviously as shaken as the rest of them. They all sat for a moment to regain themselves.

"Follow the spiders," said Ron at last, but very weakly. "Why couldn't it have been follow the butterfly's? I'll never forgive him for this."

"I'm sure he thought that Aragog wouldn't have harmed his friends." ventured Harry.

"That's his problem Harry," said Yusuke, looking a little less pale than the rest of them. "He thinks that monsters aren't as bad as they actually are. Besides, I wanna know what we learned from our little _adventure_ in there."

"That Hagrid never opened the Chamber," said Alex, so quietly that Harry almost couldn't hear her. "He was innocent."

They reached the Gryffindor common room without incident, and Puu was there to greet Yusuke happily. He sat on Alex's head as she sank into a lounge chair. Ron and Yusuke bade bade her goodnight and they headed up to their dormitory. Harry remained with her and he sat on a nearby couch. There was something lurking in the castle, waiting to attack helpless students. They had received no useful information from Aragog. Alex knew now that Riddle had caught the wrong person, the Heir of Slytherin was still out there, possibly commanding the thing to attack from outside the walls. There was no one else they could ask, they had hit their last dead end. Alex was beginning to dose off when it hit her.

"Harry!" She cried, Puu flew off her head crying wildly and went flying up to Yusuke, Harry too had been dosing off but bolted up when his name had been called. "The girl who died. Aragog said she had been found in a bathroom. What if she never left?" She let the words sink in. His eyes widened in realization.

"You don't think? _Moaning Myrtle?_"

* * *

A few days before exams, McGonagall announced that the Mandrakes were ready and that those who had been petrified would be revived. Harry saw that Alex looked better than she had in the weeks since Hiei and Hermione's petrification.

"Let's go visit them!" said Alex that late afternoon. "I know that they can't hear us, but I still feel like we should tell them the good news." Harry and Ron agreed and so they made their way down to the Hospital wing, but they ran into McGonagall on the way there.

"May I ask where you three are going? You shouldn't be out and about," She scolded and eyed Alex carefully. "And you are under strict orders from Koenma not to be roaming without an escort." Harry watched a very unusual scene transpire just then. Alex pulled her face together in the most sympathetic look, so much so that even he was feeling bad, but had no idea why.

"Please Professor," said Alex, in a sorrowful tone. "We just miss two of our best friends, and we haven't been able to see them in ages. We just wanted to tell them that the Mandrakes were ready and that they'll be better soon."

Harry was even more shocked when McGonagall seemed to crumble under Alex's influence. "Yes, of course, I realize this has been most hard on those close to those who were petrified. Yes, of course, Denton, you may go and visit your friends. Tell Madam Pomfrey I gave you my permission." Harry could swear that he saw a tear in her eye. Harry and Ron led the way past McGonagall down the corridor, hardly able to believe that they had gotten away without detention.

Harry looked at Alex behind them, and as they turned a corner he saw the hints of a mischievous smile form on her lips.

"That," said Ron. "Was the most incredible act you've ever put on." Her smile widened.

"Don't flatter me," she said playfully. "I've done better." They finished their trek to the Hospital wing, where Madam Pomfrey reluctantly let them in.

"There's just no point talking to a Petrified person," she said. But that didn't deter Alex from sitting down in a chair between the two beds that Hiei and Hermione were laid on. As she looked at Hiei, Harry noticed her hand on his, gently rubbing it like a good luck charm. _Is there something more to that relationship than Alex wants to speak of? Or is it just nothing and I'm just imagining the affection between them? _Harry thought as he and Ron also sat in between them, but closer to Hermione.

"Wonder if they did see the attacker," said Ron, looking at Hermione's frozen face. "I mean, if he sneaked up on them..." Harry's eyes were no longer on Hermione's face, but on her hand. It was clenched tightly and when he looked closely, he saw that there was a piece of paper in her fist. He pointed this out to Alex and Ron. "See if you can get it out, mate." He and Alex shifted their chairs so that Madam Pomfrey couldn't see what he was doing.

It wasn't easy. Hermione's hand was clamped tightly and he was afraid he would tear the paper. After several minutes of twisting and tugging, he managed to free the paper from her fist. It was a page torn from a very old library book, and the words were hard to make out as he smoothed the paper down. The three of them leaned in closely and read it silently together:

**_Of the many fearsome beasts adn monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size and live many hundreds of year, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. It's methods of killing are most wondrous for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk had a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it._**

And beneath all this Hermione had written a single word. _Pipes._

_

* * *

_ As Alex, Harry and Ron contemplated what all this meant, she looked at the mirror that had been found by their two friends, and it suddenly clicked. It seemed to have for Harry as well. "This is the answer. The monster is a Basilisk! That's why Harry and I have been hearing voices, it's a giant snake, and we're Parselmouthes."

"And the Basilisk kills by looking at them. But no one looked directly at it. Colin saw it through his camera, Justin saw it through Nearly- Headless Nick, Nick got the full blast, but he's already dead. And Hermione and Hiei..."

"They saw it through the mirror!" finished Alex for Harry. "She must've told Hiei that they should look around corners with the mirror."

"But what about Mrs. Norris?" Ron asked.

"The puddle... outside Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. She must've seen it's reflection!" Harry said.

"Spiders are afraid of it, Aragog said that they wouldn't speak it's name. And the crow of a rooster is fatal to it, Hagrid's roosters had been killed," said Alex, standing up. "It all fits! And... pipes! It's been using the plumbing to get around! That's why we've been hearing it in the walls!"

Ron stood up as well. "The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets," he said hoarsely. "What if its Moaning Myrtle's bathroom?"

"This must mean that the Heir of Slyhterin is also a Parselmouth!" said Harry, the last to stand up. "It's the only way to control the beast."

"We need to tell McGonagall!" Alex said, and she led the way out of the Hospital wing and down the stairs. They came to the second floor and saw that some of the Professors had gathered there. Alex pulled Ron and Harry behind a suit of armor and held her finger to her lips.

"It's happened," came McGonagall's voice was almost a whisper. "A student has been taken into the Chamber itself. The Heir has left us another note; _'Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.'_" McGonagall was trying to keep her voice steady and strong.

"Who is it?" it was Professor Snape who spoke.

There was a slight pause. "Ginny Weasley."

Alex and Harry had to hold Ron up to keep him from fainting into the hallway and exposing them. "I'm afraid we'll have to send the students home tomorrow," said Professor McGonagall. "This is the end of Hogwarts..." She trailed off. Alex preened her head to try and see who it was.

"So sorry- dozed off- what have I missed?" Alex could've sank to the ground with Ron. The last person they needed to be around; Lockhart.

"Your moment has come at last, Lockhart." said Snape, slowly. Alex could almost see the menacing smile on his face, and she had never felt more proud of Snape than at that moment. "A girl has been taken into the Chamber. You've been saying that you've known where the entrance is."

"Did- did I? I don't-" Alex could feel Lockhart's smile fading as Snape descended on him with the help of the other Professors.

"We'll leave it to you Lockhart. I believe tonight will be an excellent time to tackle the monster." McGonagall said.

"V-very well," he said after a few silent moments. "I'll- I'll be in my office getting- getting ready." Alex heard his footsteps fading away. She didn't need to hear anymore. She and Harry guided Ron back to the the common room.

* * *

Alex could barely stand the sadness that lingered in the air. All the Weasley's sat together, unsure of what to do. Alex had never seen the twins look so withdrawn and sullen. Ron and Harry sat together with Kurama and Yusuke. _We have to go to Lockhart and tell him what we know. We'll go with him to the Chamber. He's not capable of going into the Chamber by himself._ Alex thought. She looked at the group of Weasley's. She walked over to Fred and George and knelt in front of them. "Fred, George," They looked at her, barely any laughter in their eyes. It hurt Alex to see them like this. "I promise, I will get your sister back. She's not dead yet, and I will die before I let that happen." She grabbed a hand from each of them. "Don't give up hope yet. I want to see a smile on your faces when this is over, okay?" They nodded, though rather carefully, she knew they weren't sure if she really could save Ginny.

"We need to go and speak with Lockhart." Harry muttered to her. She hadn't even heard him walk up to her. She stood up and nodded. "If he's going into the Chamber, then we can at least tell him what we know."

"Get Ron, he'll come with us." Alex said. _If anything, I'm going with Lockhart. There is absolutely _no_ way that he knows more than we do at this point._ She walked over to Yusuke and Kurama. "Watch the Weasleys okay? And keep a lookout for Koenma, he may be stopping here to pick us up, and I don't know when we'll be back." Yusuke smiled at her.

"We'll stall him." Yusuke said.

"Yes, you're extremely good at that, Yusuke." Kurama said, smirking. She turned away from the soon to be banter and Harry and Ron met her at the portrait hole. No one even bothered to stop the three from leaving.

It was dark outside by the time they had reached Lockhart's office. Alex heard the faint sounds of scraping and hurried footsteps from inside. Suspicious, Alex knocked loudly. The sounds came to a sudden halt. Alex didn't wait for the door to be opened, she walked right in. Scattered across the office were trunks and the walls were stripped bare. She folded her arms.

"Going somewhere Professor?" Alex asked, knowing she didn't look pleased. Ron and Harry stood stock still behind her. They knew that if provoked she could turn on them.

"Er- well," He was flustered. "Urgent business I'm afraid, unavoidable-"

"What about my sister?" Ron practically yelled it out. Alex held an arm out, she knew Ron would lunge at him, given the chance.

"Well, most unfortunate I'm afraid-"

"You're the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher!" said Harry, anger tinged his voice. "What about all those things you wrote about in your books?"

Alex saw something in Lockhart's facial features change. He didn't seem like the charming ladies man anymore, and much more powerful. Then something clicked in her head, the nagging suspicion she had had all year. "You," she started quietly, bringing his attention to her. "you never actually _did _any of those things, did you?"

"Very clever, Miss Denton. Those books would never have sold, people don't want to read about ugly old warlocks, even if he did save an entire village from werewolves."

"So you've just been taking the credit?" said Harry, anger filled his voice now. Alex looked to see that his hand was on his wand.

"Harry, Harry. It's not so simple. I had to get all the details from these people. The best part, that I pride myself on, is my Memory Charms. I had to make so that they couldn't remember what they did." He waved his wand and the trunks shut and locked. "I'm so sorry, but I can't let you leave here with all this in your heads. I'll have to wipe your minds-"

"_Expelliarmus!_" Lockhart's wand flew out of his hand and into Ron's. Though Harry was the one who had cast the spell.

Alex felt a smile tug at the side of her mouth, and she shifted into her demon form. "Now, see Lockhart, this is how things are going to work. You'll be coming with us into the Chamber. We think we know where it is." Alex heard an audible gulp from Lockhart as Ron prodded Lockhart to move ahead of them.

She could hear him mumbling ahead of them as they walked to Myrtle's bathroom, "A _demon_? Dumbledore _allowed_ a demon in his walls?" Alex couldn't help herself.

"Not just one, Lockhart,_ four._" She didn't have to see his face to know that he paled at those words.

They sent Lockhart into Myrtle's bathroom first, Alex enjoyed seeing that he was shaking now. Moaning Myrtle came out from her stall to see who had entered. "Oh, it's you," She said when she saw Harry. "What do you want?"

"To ask how you died," replied Harry.

Myrtle looked as though she had never been asked such a flattering question.

"Ooooh, it was awful," she said with relish. "It happened right here, in this very bathroom. I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. The door had been locked, but I head somebody undo the lock and come in. They said something funny, a different language, and I could tell it was a boy. I left the stall to tell him he wasn't allowed in here, and- I died."

"How?" Alex asked as politely as possible.

"I don't know," Myrtle said quietly. "I do remember seeing a great big pair of yellow eyes. Right there, by that sink." She pointed to the sink in the middle of the room. Harry, Ron and Alex hurried over to it.

Alex's tail twitched excitedly. "Look," she pointed to an etching in the faucet. "It's a snake, this must be it."

"Harry, why don't you say something in Parseltongue?" Ron suggested, pushing Harry closer. He bent over and whispered something that Alex could barely make out.

"_Open up._" She could hear the traces of hissing. The sink rattled and shifted, revealing a long pipe leading underground.

"It must lead all the way under the school." She whispered. Alex turned to look at Lockhart, brandishing her wand at him. "You'll go first." She was having more fun than she should with this. Besides, they had to hurry, especially if Ginny was still alive.

Lockhart looked down the pipe and was about to turn around and say something when Ron shoved him in. He shrugged. "Oops." said Ron, with no feeling. He followed Lockhart, and then Harry went and Alex was last in.

It was like and endless slimy dark slide. It branched off into smaller pipes and twisted and turned, sloping steeply downwards. Alex began to worry about what would happen when the pipe ended, but then it leveled out and she shot out of the tube, and landed on a damp floor with a wet thud. She looked up to see Harry, Ron and Lockhart standing and covered in slime. Harry helped her up and they stared down a long dark tunnel. They lit their wands. "Remember, be careful, and if you see something move, shut your eyes." They began walking down the tunnel carefully, so as not to slip on the slime. It was extremely quiet in the tunnel, until there was a loud crunch as Ron stepped on what seemed to be a rat's skull.

Alex moved her wand so that it lit the floor and saw that the ground they walked was littered with rodents bones. "Alex," She heard Harry say her name. "Look, there's something down there." She narrowed her eyes, so that her dark vision would kick in. She saw an outline of something curved and very large lying at the end of the hall. She exhaled.

"It's a giant snake skin." She said as they got closer. And so it was. It must have been at least twenty feet long. There was a sudden movement behind them, Lockhart had crumpled to the floor in a faint. Ron went over to him and prodded him.

"Get up," said Ron sharply. Lockhart stood and dived for Ron. They wrestled for a moment, and in one fluid motion he stood, holding Ron's wand.

"I'm afraid the adventure ends here," said Lockhart, panting. "I'll take a bit of the skin back up and tell them that I was too late to save the girl and that you three lost your minds at the sight of corpse. Say goodbye to your memories!" He raised Ron's spellotaped wand and yelled, "_Obliviate!_"

The wand exploded, sending him flying into a nearby wall. The tunnel collapsed and Alex jumped and covered Harry's head. Once the rubble cleared, Alex looked up and didn't see any sign of Ron or Lockhart.

"Ron!" she shouted. "Are you okay?"

"Yea, I'm here!" came the muffled voice of Ron from the other side of the rubble. "I'm okay, but this git isn't. He got blasted by his own spell!"

"See if you can shift some of the rock, Ron!" Harry called to him. "We'll go on ahead and see what we find!"

"Be careful!" Ron called. Alex and Harry climbed over the snake skin and continued on down the tunnel. They had both their wands lit. Alex felt unnerved. There was something seriously wrong about all of this. her body tingled with unpleasant anxiousness. Soon they reached a very large door with a snake engraved into it. Harry was about to tell it to open in Parseltongue but she stopped him.

"I'd like to try this time," she said, her throat was dry. He nodded stiffly. She took a deep breath and spoke, hissing issued from her mouth, "_Open,_" And the door slid open, and Alex took Harry's hand, both of them clammy and shaking, but neither cared as they entered the Chamber.


	9. The Chamber and Festivities

**Right so here's the last chapter! Hurrah! *ahem* Anyways, Year 3 will be up and out within the next few days. I've almost finished the first chapter. I hope you all like the last chapter. I know that Year 2 was pretty short, but as I stated earlier, it's not my most favorite. I promise that the next ones will be far longer and hopefully more exciting. Until next time, here's the Finale of Year 2.**

* * *

Harry and Alex entered a dimly lit chamber. Towering stone pillars, with stone snakes woven in them, wound around the circular room at the far end of the room was a statue as tall as the Chamber itself, with Alex's eyes she could see that it was the face of a man with a beard of snakes. Alex shivered at the eerie silence that filled the room. There were dark coves all over, and any of them could have been hiding the basilisk. But the main thought in her head was asking where Ginny was. Harry pulled out his wand and Alex followed suit. They moved forward through the columns, the eyes of the snakes seemed to be following them.

As they neared the statue Alex saw a small figure with red hair lying face down. "Ginny!" came Harry's cry and they both ran towards her. Harry dropped to his knees, flung his wand aside and picked her up, but she was very limp. "No- don't be dead-please-" Alex knelt beside him, her features going back to human and touched Ginny's neck, her skin was cold and pale.

"She's not dead Harry," Alex breathed her own sigh of relief. "But I don't think she's unconscious either."

"She won't wake," said a soft voice to their left. Alex and Harry both jumped and spun around, Harry staying on the ground, Alex stood.

Leaning against a nearby pillar was a tall, handsome black haired boy, watching them. He was almost transparent and slightly blurred around the edges, but there was no mistaking him-

"Tom- Tom Riddle?" Alex murmured.

Riddle nodded, his eyes darting between Alex and Harry.

"What do you mean she won't wake?" Harry asked. "Alex said she's not-"

"She's still alive. But only just."

Alex stared back at the boy who barely looked a day over sixteen, yet he had been at Hogwarts more than fifty years ago. "Are you a ghost?" She said uncertain of whether that could be true, he didn't really look like one.

"A memory," said Riddle, stepping closer to them. "Preserved in a diary for fifty years." He pointed to a spot right behind them. Alex and Harry turned to see the little black diary lying open near Ginny's head. Alex wondered how it got there, considering it had been stolen from her trunk. But there were more pressing matters to deal with.

"You've got to help us Tom," said Harry, picking up Ginny's head again. "We've got to get out of here, there's a basilisk... I don't know where it is, but it could be here any moment. Please help us-"

Riddle didn't move. Harry went to pick up his wand, all the while keeping Ginny in his arms. But it was gone. Alex looked at Riddle, he was still watching them with intense eyes, he also had Harry's wand in his hand. "Give it back to him Tom," said Alex, her eyes blazing.

"The basilisk won't come until it's called," said Riddle, eerily calm. He ignored Alex's comment. "I've waited a long time for this, Harry Potter," his eyes flickered to Alex. "Alexandria Denton. The chance to see you, to speak to you."

"Look, there isn't time!" said Harry, his voice rising. Alex could tell he was losing patience. She, herself, was fighting to stay calm, her thoughts were racing. _He seems to know an awful lot about the Chamber. He even said that the Basilisk won't come until it's called. What does he know that we don't?_ Her eyes darted around the Chamber, she should have done that the when they first entered. As Hiei and Kurama always told her, be widely aware of your surroundings, always have an escape route planned. Unfortunately her training flew out the window the moment they had stepped foot in the stone chamber. Riddle was now blocking their only way back to Ron.

"How did Ginny get like this? What did you do to her?" Alex growled between her teeth. She fought to keep herself in check, she couldn't lose control now.

Riddle smiled at her. "That's an interesting question," he said pleasantly. "She's like this because of what she did to herself. Ginny Weasley spilled her little heart into the diary... _My_ diary. She told me everything, her pitiful woes. But what interested me most was when she talked about the two of you," His eyes had a scary glint in them. "I was patient, I wrote back, I _sympathized_ with her. Ginny loved me. '_No one's ever understood me like you Tom,_'" He laughed. It unnerved Alex, it was a high, cold laugh that sent shivers down her spine. "Ginny was exactly what I needed. I fed off her sorrows, and thoughts. I grew stronger. Soon I getting stronger and was able to start feeding some of _my soul_ into her."

"What do you mean?" said Harry hoarsely.

"Haven't you two guessed it yet?" Riddle laughed again. "Ginny Weasley opened the Chamber of Secrets. She killed the school roosters and wrote the messages on the walls. She set the monster loose on the school."

"No," Alex whispered, her throat was dry.

"Yes," said Riddle. "Of course, she didn't know what she was doing at first. It took a long time for her to stop trusting the diary,"

Alex felt her whole body go rigid. Her muscles were tight and her finger nails dug into her palms.

"She tried to dispose of it. And that's where you two come in. Of all the people to find it, it had to be _you_. I was most anxious to meet you."

"Why did you want to meet us?" said Alex. Anger filled her whole body and she did everything she could to stay calm. She couldn't let her power get out of control.

"Ginny told me all about you two, mostly you Harry, but your name came up Alexandria, when she talked about your history." His eyes skirted to theirs scars, and the expression in them grew hungry. "I wanted you to trust me, so I showed you my famous capture of that great oaf Hagrid-"

"Hagrid's our friend!" Harry's voice was shaking. "And you framed him, didn't you? I thought you had made a mistake but-"

Riddle laughed again. Alex shivered again and the hair on her arms stood up.

"It was my word against Hagrid's." He shook his head. "It took me five years to learn everything I could about the Chamber and find the secret entrance. Only Professor Dumbledore seemed to think Hagrid was innocent. He persuaded Dippet to keep Hagrid and train him as gamekeeper. I think Dumbledore may have guessed, but-"

"Dumbledore must've seen right through you," Alex growled.

"Well, he certainly kept an annoyingly close eye on me afterward. I couldn't open the Chamber while I was still at the school. I left behind the diary so that one day someone could pick up where I left off."

"Well you haven't finished. And you never will," said Harry triumphantly. "The Mandrake Draught will be ready by tonight and everyone who was Petrified will be right again-"

"Haven't I already told you," said Riddle, his voice quiet again. "That killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore? For the past few months, my target has been the both of you. I was so angry when the next time that my diary was open, it was the Weasley girl writing in it and not one of you. She saw you, Alexandria with the diary, and panicked. What if I told you all her little secrets? I knew that I had to lure you to me. So I had her write her own farewell on the wall and come down here to wait. She struggled and became very boring. She put too much of herself in the diary and there was enough to let me leave the pages at last. I have many questions for the both of you."

"Like what?" Harry had his teeth clenched together, as were his fists. Alex had to make sure he didn't try anything foolish.

"Well," said Riddle, as though this happened everyday. "how is it that you- two students with no extraordinary magical skill- managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did you escape with nothing but scars, while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?"

Alex saw an odd red glint in his hungry eyes. "Why do you care?" said Alex slowly. "Voldemort was after your time"

"Voldemort," Riddle said softly. "is my past, present, and future, Alexandria Denton." He lifted Harry's wand and began tracing three word in the air:

**TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE**

The he waved the wand again and the letters of his name began to rearrange themselves:

**I AM LORD VOLDEMORT**

"You see?" said Riddle in his soft voice. "It was a name I was already using at the school, but only with my most intimate _friends_, of course. You think I wanted to use my filthy Muggle father's name forever? I, in whose veins runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself, through my mother's side? I fashioned a new name for myself, one that would strike fear into the hearts of wizards and witches everywhere, when I became the greatest sorcerer in the world!"

Alex's brain seemed to have stopped working. This was the boy who would grow up to be the man who killed her mother and Harry's parents and so many others... the man who tried to kill them. She heard Harry's voice, but it sounded so far away.

"You're not," said Harry, his voice full of the hatred Alex felt.

"Not what?" snapped Riddle.

"The greatest sorcerer in the world," said Harry, he sounded more calm now, more brave. Alex smiled, he knew what he was going to say, and joined in.

"Albus Dumbledore is." They said together. The smile disappeared from Riddle's face, replaced by a very ugly look that didn't suit his handsome features.

"Dumbledore was driven out of the castle by the mere _memory_ of me!" he hissed.

"He's not as gone as you think!" Alex retorted. She and Harry were just trying to scare Riddle, but how could it be true, when they saw Dumbledore leave themselves.

Riddle opened his mouth and froze.

There was magical music coming from somewhere. Riddle turned to stare down the empty Chamber. The music grew louder. It was unearthly and beautiful. Alex felt as though her heart was swelling to enormous sizes. The music reached a pitch that Alex felt it all the way to her bones, and there appeared a red bird flying down the tunnel.

The bird was the size of a swan, it's tail was as long as a peacock's and it had glittering gold talons, which were gripping a ragged bundle. The bird was flying straight at her and Harry. It dropped the bundle at Harry's feet and landed on Alex's shoulder; it felt lighter than it looked. She turned to face it and saw that it had a golden beak and a beady black eye. The bird stopped singing. It stared intently at Riddle. Alex's whole body was warmed by the touch of the bird.

"A phoenix?" said Riddle, his voice was shaky.

"Hello Fawkes," said Alex coolly. She greatly appreciated the bird's presence. Alex patted Fawkes head.

"And that-" said Riddle, eying the bundle that Fawkes had dropped, "that's the school Sorting Hat-" Alex looked. So it was. Patched and fraying in places, the hat was motionless at Harry's feet. Riddle began to laugh. He laughed so hard that the Chamber rang with it.

"This is what Dumbledore sends as a defense? A songbird and an old hat! Do you feel protected Harry and Alexandria?"

Alex narrowed her eyes at him. She wasn't sure what good Fawkes or the hat would do, but she did feel safer. They waited for Riddle to stop laughing, her courage gaining in strength.

"Twice now- in you past and my future- we have met. I will not fail to kill you again."

Alex didn't like the sound of that. But she did know that the longer they talked, the longer they had to come up with a plan. _**Harry, keep him talking. I will think of a way out of here!**_ And so Harry began talking.

"No one knows why you lost your powers that night you attacked us." said Harry, his voice clear and ringing in the Chamber. "But I do know why you couldn't kill us. It was because our mothers died to save us. Our common, Muggleborn mothers," Alex wasn't sure if the part about her mother was true or not but she didn't care. She could see the rage building in Riddle's face.

Alex's mind was racing. They were quickly running out of time and options. She knew that Fawkes could carry them away to safety, but that still didn't help Ginny, nor would it stop the Basilisk. There had to be a way.

"So your mothers died to save you, yes, there's really nothing special about you at all. Now, Harry, Alexandria, I'd like you to meet your death at the hands of the greatest beast of all time!" Riddle spread his arms wide and called in a hissing sound that Alex could fully understand. "_Come to me, beast of Slytherin!"_

From the stone face's mouth came a wild hiss and a slither. The slither grew louder as Alex watched a giant snake come out. This was the Basilisk. She felt Fawkes wing brush her face as he took flight. "No, Fawkes!" But she was distracted by the next sound of hissing that came out of Riddle's mouth:

"_Kill them._"

She reached for Harry and found his hand, grabbed it, and shut her eyes. Her mind was reeling about what they could do now. She could hear the Basilisk slithering closer to them. She pulled Harry to their left, running blindly. It was at this point she wished she had Hiei's third eye. She tripped on the slick floor bringing Harry down with her. The snake was only feet from them now, she could hear it coming. Alex pulled Harry closer to her, and waited for the fangs to sink in.

There was a loud trill above them and even though every fiber in her body told her not to, she opened her eyes enough to make out what was going on.

The large snake reared it's body high up and it flailed around wildly. Something was distracting the snake. And soon Alex spotted what it was. Fawkes was soaring around the snake's head, the Basilisk was snapping at him with fangs as long an thin as swords. Fawkes dived and stabbed his talons into the Basilisk's eyes. Alex opened her eyes more and looked to Harry, who was opening his eyes as well.

Blood splattered to the floor from it's eyes as it thrashed around from the pain. _"NO!" _Alex heard Riddle scream. _"Leave the bird and kill the children! Smell for them! Kill them!"_

The blinded serpent swayed, confused, but still very deadly. Fawkes trilled out again and stabbed the snake in various places on his head, blood continued to pour from it's eyes.

_Please, someone help us._ Alex thought wildly. She knew that there was no one who could help them now.

The snake's tail whipped across the floor, she and Harry ducked. She heard a soft _'fiwsh' _and looked at Harry. The Sorting Hat had hit him in the face. As it landed in his arms, she saw the desperate look on his face as he flung the hat on his head. She waited, it was like time had slowed down as her vision closed in on their last hope for survival. After a few short moments, Alex heard a thunk as something hit Harry's head. _Something came out of the Hat? I didn't know it could do that!_ She thought as Harry pulled the hat off and with it came out a sword. The sword was silver and had a golden handle with rubies encrusted on it. He handed her the sword.

"You're better with these things than I am!" said Harry, and despite the situation, a smile played on his lips.

"Remind me to teach you when we get out of here," replied Alex, taking the sword and finally feeling in a natural element. She stood and Harry followed behind her. The snake lunged blindly at them- she dodged pulling Harry back with her. "Hang on to me!" She felt him wrap his arms around her waist. With her moderate demon strength, she knew she could pull Harry around with ease. The snake hit the wall behind them. It pulled back and Alex raised the sword with both hands. The snake lunged again and it's aim was true. Alex threw her weight behind the thrust of the sword and drove it into the roof of the serpent's mouth, but as she pulled away, blood drenched her arm and there was a searing pain in her arm. She looked down and saw one fang sinking deeper into her arm. It cracked and broke off as the snake fell sideways, dieing on the floor.

Alex's vision blurred as she sank to the floor. She felt Harry let go and call her name. She gripped the fang, gritting her teeth, pulled the fang out of her arm and dropped it to the floor. Her blood began soaking her robes. She heard a light trill and saw a blur of scarlet. "Hello... Fawkes," said Alex, hoarsely. "Thank you, for you're help."

"Don't talk Alex, you'll be okay," said Harry, she could see tears pooling in his eyes. She smiled. Fawkes bowed his head onto her arm where the fang pierced her skin.

"You'll be dead soon, Alexandria," she heard Riddle's voice above her. "Even the bird knows it. It's crying."

Alex blinked at looked at Fawkes. Pearly tears slid from his black eyes onto her wound.

"Once I'm done watching her die, Potter, you'll be next," said Riddle, his voice full of amusement. Alex laughed. She could feel the pain leaving her already, her strength coming back to her. The Chamber was coming back into focus. Her wound was healing. "No," she heard Riddle mutter. "Get away from her you stupid bird!"

"Phoenix tear have healing powers, Riddle. You really should pay more attention to your teachings. Maybe you'll learn something." said Alex, her voice gaining clarity. Fawkes flew away towards Ginny and grabbed something. He flew back to them and dropped the object into Harry's lap. It was the diary.

_**Harry! The fang, drive it into-**_

_**I'm already on it!**_

Harry grabbed the fang that she had discarded and plunged it into the heart of the diary. Ink spluttered like blood from the pages. There was a blood curdling scream and Alex looked to see Riddle disappearing. Then he was gone. Harry's wand fell to the floor with a clatter and the only sound was the dripping of ink from the diary.

Shaking, Harry helped Alex to her feet. She could stand on her own. She grabbed the Sorting Hat as Harry grabbed his wand and he retrieved the sword from the Basilisk's mouth.

There was a faint moan from across the Chamber. Ginny was waking. Alex and Harry hurried over to her, and when they reached her she sat up. She took in the sights around her and drew in a great shuddering breath and tears began pouring down her face. "Harry! Alex! I- I wanted to tell you- but- but... I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay Ginny," said Alex, pulling the girl into a hug. "Riddle's finished, him and the Basilisk. Everything will be all right." Harry and Alex pulled her to her feet. She rambled about being expelled and other little things. Alex glanced at Harry.

_**At least she's safe. Now all we need to do is get back up into the castle.**_ Harry said to her.

_**I think Fawkes can help us with that.**_ She smiled at the bird who had returned to her shoulder. "Let's get back to Ron and the idiot." She said and they made the trek back to the fallen tunnel. After a few minutes of walking she could hear the sound of shifting rocks.

"Ron!" Harry yelled. The shifting stopped. "We've got Ginny, she's okay!"

Alex heard a muffled cheer. They turned the bend and saw his eager face through a sizable gap he had made in the rock. "Ginny!" He shot his arm through the hole to pull her through first. "Thank Merlin you're all right!" He hugged her when she was through. Harry went through next and he helped Alex through and Fawkes followed. Ron spotted the crimson bird. "Where did he from?"

"He belongs to Dumbledore." said Harry.

"And how come you've got a sword?" He eyed the glittering weapon in Harry's hands.

"We'll explain when we get out of here." said Alex, glancing at Ginny, who seemed to have calmed a bit, but tears still flowed freely from her eyes. "Where's Lockhart?"

Ron walked them back to the mouth of the pipe. "His Memory charm backfired and hit him instead. Doesn't know who he is, where he is or who we are." They found Lockhart sitting on a rock, humming quite happily to himself. Lockhart looked up at them as they neared.

"Oh, hello," said Lockhart. "Odd sort of place isn't it? Do you live here?"

"No," said Ron, looking at Harry and snorted.

"Well, let's head back," said Alex, she glanced at Fawkes who trilled happily and raised from her shoulder. "I'd hang on if I were you." She said and the other's latched onto her waist.

"Will he be able to lift us all?" said Ron, looking curiously at Fawkes as she grabbed his tail feathers, which were strangely warm.

"Fawkes," said Alex as they rose into the air and up the pipe, "Isn't an ordinary bird."

* * *

Fawkes had lead them to Dumbledore's office where the gargoyle, that normally blocked entrance, leaped aside. They climbed the stairs and entered the office door which was already open. There was silence as Harry, Alex, Ginny, Ron and Lockhart stood in the doorway covered in slime and (in Harry and Alex's case) blood. Then there was a scream.

"Ginny!"

It was Mrs. Weasley, who had been sitting in front a the fire, crying. She leapt to her feet, followed by Mr. Weasley, and both of them hugged their daughter.

Alex was looking past them. Professor Dumbledore was standing behind his desk, with Professor McGonagall and Koenma. Fawkes whooshed past Alex's ear and settled on his perch. But before Alex could say anything, she, Ron and Harry were swept into her embrace.

"You saved her! How did you do it?"

"I think we all would like to know that," said Professor McGonagall weakly.

Mrs. Weasley let go of them, and hesitantly Alex and Harry stepped forward and set on the desk the Sorting Hat, the rubied sword and what remained of the diary. Alex avoided Koenma's eyes, knowing that he was not pleased. Then she and Harry launched into the story and for almost half an hour the others sat in rapt attention. They told them about the disembodied voices, how Hermoine was the one to realize it was a Basilisk they were hearing in the pipes, how they, with Ron had followed the spiders into the forest, that Aragog told them that Hagrid wasn't the one who set the Basilisk loose, and how the girl that died last time was Moaning Myrtle and that the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets was in the bathroom...

"So you found the entrance," said Koenma. The others nearly jumped, save for Dumbledore, he had been so silent they had forgotten he was there. "and didn't bother going to a Professor?"

"That's not the issue, Lord Koenma," said McGonagall. "How on earth did you survive?"

Alex and Harry then began their tale of Fawkes timely arrival, and the sword dropping from the hat. How Alex plunged the sword into the snake and- They faltered. They had managed to tell everything and avoid talking about Riddle's memory or Ginny. Alex looked at Dumbledore, who smiled.

"What interests me most is how Lord Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny, when sources tell me he is currently hiding in Albania."

Alex let loose a sigh of relief.

"What? You-Know-Who enchant Ginny, but she's not, she didn't-"

"It was the diary," said Harry quickly. He picked it up off the desk and showing it to Dumbledore. "Riddle wrote in it when he was sixteen..."

Dumbledore took the diary from Harry and turned it delicately between his long thin fingers. "Brilliant," he said softly. "Of course, he was one of the most brilliant students Hogwarts. Very few people know that Lord Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle. I taught him myself, fifty years ago, at Hogwarts."

"But his diary?" said Mrs. Weasley. "What does Ginny have to do with it?"

"I was writing in it!" cried Ginny. "I've been writing in it and he's been writing back!"

"Ginny!" Mr. Weasley said, flabbergasted. "What have I told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain-"

"I think Miss Weasley should go up to the hospital wing right away." Dumbledore interrupted in a firm voice. "This has been a terrible ordeal for her. There will be no punishment." He guided the Weasley's, Ron excluded, to the door. "Bed rest and some hot chocolate should do the trick. Madam Pomfrey is stil awake and is just administering the Mandrake juice. The Petrified will be waking at any moment. Minerva, if you would be so kind as to take them there and then could you notify the kitchens, I believe a feast is in order." Professor McGonagall left her spot near Koenma and walked with the Weasleys down the stairs.

Dumbledore turned his attention to Ron, Harry and Alex. "I seem to remember telling you boys that if you broke any more school rule that I would have to expel you." Alex glanced at them, worry in her eyes. Surely he wouldn't expel them after they had just saved the school. "But I guess I must have to eat my words," Dumbledore smiled. "You three will receive Special Awards for Services to the School and I think one hundred and fifty points apiece for Gryffindor will do quite nicely." Dumbledore turned his attention to Lockhart. "But someone seems to be keeping quite silent about his part in this dangerous excursion," Dumbledore added. "Why so quiet Gilderoy?"

Alex had forgotten that Lockhart was even there. "Is that my name, why it's quite lovely isn't it?"

"Sire, there was an accident down in the Chamber of Secrets," Ron said quickly, "Professor Lockhart-"

"Am I a Professor?" Lockhart said in surprise, "I expect I was quite useless wasn't I?"

"He tried to do a Memory charm and it backfired," Ron explained.

"Mr. Weasley, would you mind taking Professor Lockhart to the Infirmary as well? I would like a few more words with Harry and Alex."

Ron guided Lockhart out of the office and shut the door behind him. Dumbledore summoned some chairs. "Please sit, Harry, Alex." Alex gladly took one of the chairs, for she found herself shaking. Harry sat next to her. Koenma and Dumbledore remained standing. "First of all I want to thank the both of you. You must have shown great loyalty for Fawkes and the hat to get to you." Alex felt the blood flow to her cheeks. She was honored by Dumbledore's words. "Second, I must tell you something that I feel will explain why you two share the Parseltongue trait with Voldemort. The night he tried to kill you, Voldemort transferred some of his power into you."

"He put some of his power in us?" said Alex, struck cold.

"So then, we really should be in Slyhterin," Harry said, looking at Dumbledore. "The Sorting Hat wanted to put us both there, but it put us in-"

"Gryffindor," said Dumbledore quiet calmly. "You both have qualities that Salazar Slytherin prided in his students. But the Sorting Hat still put you in Gryffindor. Why do you think that?"

Alex thought for a moment. She could feel Koenma's gaze bearing down on her, but she still refused to look him in the eye. "Because we asked to be put there."

"Exactly!" Dumbledore said, beaming at them. "It's the thing that makes you different from Tom Riddle. It is our choices, that make us special, and show what we truly are." They sat in their chairs stunned. "If you want proof that you belong in Gryffindor, then look at this," He carefully picked up the sword and handed it to Alex. Harry leaned over to look at it. There was a name engraved just below the hilt. _Godric Gryffindor. _"Only a true Gryffindor could have pulled that out of the hat." Dumbledore said simply.

Alex stared at him for several moments. "Now then," said Dumbledore, breaking the silence. "I must go and write to Azkaban, we really must have out Gamekeeper back."

Koenma stepped from Dumbledore's side behind the desk. "Sir, if you don't mind, I'd like to take Alex to the Infirmary. She's been through quite enough this evening, having being bitten by the Basilisk and all." Alex flinched and looked at the blotchy scar that now marred her right arm.

"Why thank you, Lord Koenma," replied Dumbledore, his blue eyes twinkling. "But please don't be too hard on the dear girl. She's been through quite enough don't you think?" Alex and Koenma flinched, but for different reasons.

"Of course Headmaster." Koenma led the way out of Dumbledore's office. On their way out of the office, they passed by none other than Lucius Malfoy, who was on his way to see the Headmaster. _Probably shocked that he's been reinstated. _Alex thought. Then she looked closer at the man and saw that near his left leg walked a familiar House elf.

"Good evening Mr. Malfoy," said Alex, blocking his path to the Headmaster.

_**Incoming Harry, Lucius Malfoy with, shockingly, Dobby!**_ She hoped the boy would figure out a clever way to free Dobby from this Master.

Lucius looked startled for the briefest of moments, but recovered himself quite nicely. She now could see where Draco got it from. 'What do you want girl?"

"Please, sir," She put on her best performance. "I just wanted to formally introduce myself, since I will be visiting your Manor this summer at the request of your wife and your son." She held out her hand. "You may already know my name, sir, but I feel formal introductions are in order; I am Alexandria Denton, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." She watched as he tried to hide the emotions on his face as he took in the news of her words. He took her hand.

"Alexandria Denton, I am Lucius Malfoy, and it will be an honor to have you at my home this summer." His eyes narrowed for the briefest moment, and then remembered why he was there. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to."

"Yes, of course, I'm sorry to have wasted some of your precious time." She dipped her head respectfully. "Please," She said and stepped out of the way. Lucius continued his war path to Dumbledore's office. She was glad that he hadn't even seemed to notice Koenma standing near her shoulder, which, if he really had any sense would have known he was ruler of Spirit World and that she had _some_ kind of connection to demons. But she waved that out of her head and continued to walk with Koenma down the corridor. He led her into an empty classroom. Or what she thought was empty, Kurama, Yusuke and Kazuma stood there looking rather shameful for hiding Alex's whereabouts from Koenma.

"Alex!" They cried when she walked in. Yusuke pulled her into a breath crushing hug.

"Thank Enma you're alright!" Kazuma said, pulling her into a similar hug when Yusuke had set her down. Kurama hugged her more gently.

"We couldn't sense you down in the Chamber," said Kurama looking her in the eyes. She loved seeing the gentle protection they held. "We grew worried and had to call Koenma-"

"And I'm glad they did," she was expecting it to be Koenma's voice, but it wasn't. It was one she had been missing over the past month. She spun around and pulled the spiky haired boy into a hug.

"Hiei!" She murmured into his shoulder. She felt his muscles clench by the sudden, and unexpected gesture of affection, but relaxed after a moment and returned the hug. "I was- so lost without you here."

"Yes," He pulled her away to examine her. "well you seem to have done well while I was gone." Her eyes had gone misty, which seemed to be making Hiei uncomfortable, mixed with the fact that the other boys were watching with rapt amusement.

"Hn. Try not to get into more trouble when I'm not around to save you." He said and folded his arms across his chest. She wiped her eyes.

"Yes, Hiei."

"Maybe you should stop looking for trouble," It was now that Koenma spoke up. "Boys, leave us for a moment." Reluctantly the four boys shuffled out of the room. Alex bowed her head in shame. It seemed to please Koenma that she appeared sorry and upset for displeasing him and disobeying orders.

"Do you know how worried I was when the boys told me where you had gone?" said Koenma, his voice low and quiet. It was like Snape with him, the lower and quieter the voice, the more dangerous and angry he was.

"I'm sorry Koenma," It was all she could say to keep herself from getting into more trouble. She really wasn't sorry. She had helped save Ginny, and was pleased with it. She was able to keep her promise to Gred and George, and that made her heart flutter.

"No I don't think you really are," He said. She shut her eyes and cursed silently. She had hoped her charades would work with Koenma like they did with other people, but they rarely ever did. "Alex, I have known you almost your entire life. And there may be some things that I hide from you, but you _must_ learn to trust my judgment and have faith that I only want what's best for you." She pulled her head up to look at Koenma.

"I know," He held up a hand when she opened her mouth to say something. "It may not _seem_ like I'm doing what's best for you, but you'll see that, with time, it was all for the good of your future."

She shook her head, a small smile on her lips. "No, I don't think you do know," She met his eyes, feeling stronger than ever. "You may have guardianship of me during the time I'm away from this school, and thus decisions over that time are yours to make. But, while I'm at the school, the decision is mine. I want to be able to learn to make judgments of my own and take the rewards and consequences of those judgments and actions." She watched as his face, which had been smiling out of good faith a moment before was now turning into a frown of discontent. "With you always making the calls for me, how will I ever learn what is right, and what is wrong?"

"You're not thinking clearly Alex," said Koenma, his voice rising with anger. "You must have hit your head down in the Chamber. You've never disobeyed before, and I don't like where it's taking you."

She clenched her fists, and tried to keep the boiling anger down as much as possible, but couldn't help it that some of it leaked into her voice. She had tried to be civilized about it. "No, I didn't hit my head, and I'm thinking clearly just fine. I don't _want_ my life controlled, _Lord Koenma_, and I don't appreciate it that you are trying to do so!" Her voice was rising as well. "My life is my own. You've been sheltering me for long enough-" She took a deep breath. _Calm yourself Alex. Now isn't the time to overdo it._ She touched her scar. "I know that you only have the best interest for me at heart, but please Koenma, be my brother right now, not a ruler."

He closed his eyes. He was quiet for several tense moments. "Fine, Alex," He said at last. "I will back away somewhat, even if it isn't my first instinct. You will be punished, though," He smiled. "Do not think that you will get away with breaking rules so easily." He reached out and pulled her into a hug. "And I'm doing this as your brother." He muttered into her ear. Alex couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you Koenma," And she returned the hug, relishing every moment of it.

* * *

Alex went to the feast with the boys. Koenma left to return to the castle and think of a good punishment for her. She was greeted wholeheartedly by Hermione, who was glad to see that they had figured out her clues and apologized profusely to Hiei about dragging him along. He looked uncomfortable by her words, but just shrugged and tried to wave it off. Apparently she had been apologizing since they had been unPetrified.

It was quite and interesting feast. Everyone was in their pajamas and they celebrated all night, no one would have been able to sleep anyways. Hagrid appeared later in the night and swept her and Harry into great bear hug. McGonagall announced that exams were canceled as a school treat and everyone but Hermione cheered.

Later into the early hours of the morning, the Weasley twins pulled Alex aside. "We wanted to thank you for keeping your promise." She reached out and pressed the back of her hands to their foreheads. They pulled back as she laughed. "What's so funny? And why did you do that?" George asked, tilting his head.

"I wanted to see if you were feeling alright," said Alex, doing her best to hold in her laughter as she spoke. "You boys have been acting so strangely this year."

She didn't miss the glance that passed between them. "Would you rather have us play pranks on you instead of other people?" Fred asked reaching into his pocket. Alex knew that that was where he kept his wand. She eyed him warily.

"Please, no." She waved her hands defensively. "I like the relationship we have going now." She stepped back hesitantly. She didn't like the smile playing at George's lips.

"Oh, won't do anything _too_ permanent." said George, angelically. Alex braced herself to have to run just in case she had to out run a hex or spell. "And certainly won't be to _you._"

Alex narrowed her eyes. "Then who?"

They looked at each other. "Perhaps, Malfoy?" She shook her head and relaxed.

"Do what you like," She waved her hand and yawned. "I'm going to bed." They looked confused and followed her.

"But don't you care if we harm or maim," Alex shot Fred a look.

"In a playful way," said George quickly.

"Your precious Malfoy?" Fred finished. Alex shrugged.

"It's not like I have a crush on him," said Alex, playing with the locket at her neck, which still hung next to the necklace that Draco had given her earlier that year. "I think it's the other way around."

The two formed mischievous grins.

"You try and hex me, and I'll hex you right back with double the force," said Alex, practically sensing what they were planning. They put on their best innocent faces.

"Would dream of it," They said together.

* * *

The end of the school year came fast. The group of Weasleys and the Detectives with Hermione and Alex stood at King's Cross waiting for their parents and guardians. Harry had given Ron his phone number, and explained the uses of the telephone to him. Alex foresaw that not going well.

"Alex, what ever happened to that Golden egg that you were given earlier this year?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, well, Botan came and took it. It's sitting at Spirit World castle, feeding off my soul."

"Sounds painful," Ron commented. Alex spotted Mr. and Mrs. Weasley coming from their left.

"Oh well, it's really not. Though we do like to tell people it is," A bubbly voice from behind Alex commented. Alex turned and smiled at the blue haired girl that seemed to have magically appeared.

"Hello Botan," She hugged her and introduced her to the others.

"Yes, I've heard all about you," Botan said. "I'm sorry that Koenma could be here, but he's very busy."

"Of course he is," Yusuke muttered.

Alex spotted the Dursley's heading their way. "Harry, write to me if things get... difficult for you, I'll come and bring you to Japan right away, okay?" She hugged him.

"Yea, sure," said Harry, returning the gesture.

"They'll be proud of you, won't they?" Hermione asked.

"Proud?" said Harry gathering his trunk and Hedwig. "All those times I could have died and didn't? They'll be furious."

Yusuke snorted with laughter. Alex elbowed him.

"We'll see you soon, Harry." Alex said with one last farewell.

"Of course," Harry replied and they all left King's Cross together.


End file.
